Managing Volatile Capital Flows: Experiences and Lessons for Sub-Saharan African Frontier Markets

by Cheikh A. Gueye
Managing Volatile Capital Flows: Experiences and Lessons for Sub-Saharan African Frontier Markets
Author: Cheikh A. Gueye
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 39
Release: 2014-03-26
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1616358440
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During the past three years the frontier markets of sub-Saharan Africa have received growing amounts of portfolio capital flows, with heightened interest from foreign investors. Compared with foreign direct investment, portfolio capital flows tend to be more volatile, and thus pose challenges for sub-Saharan African frontier markets. This study examines the evolution of capital flows since 2010 and discusses the policies these countries have designed to reduce risks from the inherent volatility of these flows.

Regional Economic Outlook, October 2013, Sub-Saharan Africa

by International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Regional Economic Outlook, October 2013, Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 243
Release: 2013-10-31
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1484300483
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The October 2013 Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Africa provides a comprehensive report on the prospects for growth in the region, as well as the major risks to the outlook. Generally, growth is expected to remain strong despite a downward revision since the May 2013 report. The report analyzes drivers of growth in nonresource-rich sub-Saharan African countries, and examines the risks to frontier market economies of volatile capital flows as they become more integrated with international capital markets.

Regional Economic Outlook, October 2017, Sub-Saharan Africa

by International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Regional Economic Outlook, October 2017, Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 129
Release: 2017-11-27
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1484312511
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Growth in sub-Saharan Africa has recovered relative to 2016, but the momentum is weak and per capita incomes are expected to barely increase. Further, vulnerabilities have risen in many countries, adding to the urgency of implementing the fiscal consolidations planned in most countries and with stepped up efforts to strengthen growth.

Regional Economic Outlook, April 2018, Sub-Saharan Africa

by International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Regional Economic Outlook, April 2018, Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 137
Release: 2018-05-08
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1484352696
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The region is seeing a modest growth uptick, but this is not uniform and the medium-term outlook remains subdued. Growth is projected to rise to 3.4 percent in 2018, from 2.8 percent in 2017, on the back of improved global growth, higher commodity prices, and continued strong public spending. About 3⁄4 of the countries in the region are predicted to experience faster growth. Beyond 2018, growth is expected to plateau below 4 percent, modestly above population growth, reflecting continued sluggishness in the oil-exporting countries and sustained growth in non-resource-intensive countries. A number of countries (Burundi, DRC, South Sudan, and parts of the Sahel) remain locked in internal conflict resulting in record levels of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, with adverse spillovers to neighboring countries.

Regional Economic Outlook, October 2016, Sub-Saharan Africa

by International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Regional Economic Outlook, October 2016, Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 140
Release: 2016-10-25
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1513595970
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Economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa this year is set to drop to its lowest level in more than 20 years, reflecting the adverse external environment, and a lackluster policy response in many countries. However, the aggregate picture is one of multispeed growth: while most of non-resource-intensive countries—half of the countries in the region—continue to perform well, as they benefit from lower oil prices, an improved business environment, and continued strong infrastructure investment, most commodity exporters are under severe economic strains. This is particularly the case for oil exporters whose near-term prospects have worsened significantly in recent months. Sub-Saharan Africa remains a region of immense economic potential, but policy adjustment in the hardest-hit countries needs to be enacted promptly to allow for a growth rebound.

Regional Economic Outlook, April 2017, Sub-Saharan Africa

by Céline Allard
Regional Economic Outlook, April 2017, Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: Céline Allard
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 122
Release: 2017-05-09
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1475574932
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Growth momentum in sub-Saharan Africa remains fragile, marking a break from the rapid expansion witnessed since the turn of the millennium. 2016 was a difficult year for many countries, with regional growth dipping to 1.4 percent—the lowest level of growth in more than two decades. Most oil exporters were in recession, and conditions in other resource-intensive countries remained difficult. Other nonresource-intensive countries however, continued to grow robustly. A modest recovery in growth of about 2.6 percent is expected in 2017, but this falls short of past trends and is too low to put sub-Saharan Africa back on a path of rising living standards. While sub-Saharan Africa remains a region with tremendous growth potential, the deterioration in the overall outlook partly reflects insufficient policy adjustment. In that context, and to reap this potential, strong and sound domestic policy measures are needed to restart the growth engine.

Regional Economic Outlook, April 2015, Sub-Saharan Africa

by International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Regional Economic Outlook, April 2015, Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 121
Release: 2015-04-28
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1498329845
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The sharp decline in oil and other commodity prices have adversely impacted sub-Saharan Africa. Nevertheless, the region is projected to register another year of solid economic performance. In South Africa, however, growth is expected to remain lackluster, while in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone the Ebola outbreak continues to exact a heavy economic and social toll. This report also considers how sub-Saharan Africa can harness the demographic dividend from an unprecedented increase in the working age population, as well as the strength of the region's integration into global value chains.

Regional Economic Outlook, April 2014, Sub-Saharan Africa

by International Monetary Fund
Regional Economic Outlook, April 2014, Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: International Monetary Fund
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 114
Release: 2014-04-24
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1475517300
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The five Regional Economic Outlooks published biannually by the IMF cover Asia and Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Western Hemisphere. In each volume, recent economic developments and prospects for the region are discussed as a whole, as well as for specific countries. The reports include key data for countries in the region. Each report focuses on policy developments that have affected economic performance in the region, and discusses key challenges faced by policymakers. The near-term outlook, key risks, and their related policy challenges are analyzed throughout the reports, and current issues are explored, such as when and how to withdraw public interventions in financial systems globally while maintaining a still-fragile economic recovery.These indispensable surveys are the product of comprehensive intradepartmental reviews of economic developments that draw primarily on information the IMF staff gathers through consultation with member countries.

Changing Times for Frontier Markets

by Nordine Abidi
Changing Times for Frontier Markets
Author: Nordine Abidi
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 37
Release: 2016-08-23
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1475529546
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This paper investigates to what extent low-income developing countries (LIDCs) characterized as frontier markets (FMs) have begun to be subject to capital flows dynamics typically associated with emerging markets (EMs). Using a sample of developing countries covering the period 2000–14, we show that: (i) average annual portfolio flows to FMs as a share of GDP outstripped those to EMs by about 0.6 percentage points of GDP; (ii) during years of heightened stress in global financial markets, portfolio flows to FMs dried up like those to EMs; and that (iii) FMs have become more integrated into international financial markets. Our findings confirm that, in terms of portfolio flows, FMs have become more similar to EMs than to the rest of LIDCs and are therefore more vulnerable to swings in global financial markets conditions. Accordingly, it is important to have in place frameworks to strengthen FMs’ resilience to adverse capital flows shocks.