OECD Economics Department Working Papers

ISSN :
1815-1973 (online)
DOI :
10.1787/18151973
Hide / Show Abstract
Working papers from the Economics Department of the OECD that cover the full range of the Department’s work including the economic situation, policy analysis and projections; fiscal policy, public expenditure and taxation; and structural issues including ageing, growth and productivity, migration, environment, human capital, housing, trade and investment, labour markets, regulatory reform, competition, health, and other issues.
 

Surveillance by International Institutions

Lessons from the Global Financial and Economic Crisis You or your institution have access to this content

Authors:
Kumiharu Shigehara1, Paul Atkinson2
Author Affiliations
  • 1: International Economic Policy Studies Association, France

  • 2: OECD, France

Publication Date
17 May 2011
Bibliographic information
No.:
860
Pages
44
DOI
10.1787/5kgchzchkvd2-en

Hide / Show Abstract

This paper reviews key policy messages and warnings about developments in the run-up to the global financial and economic crisis that began in mid-2007 which are contained in the main publications of the IMF, the OECD and the BIS and discuss issues relevant to strengthening their surveillance activities for making appropriate policy recommendations and issuing warnings in order to prevent such crisis in the future. The review finds that the institutions did not recognize the need for monetary tightening in a timely way for either the US or the UK, two epicentres of the global crisis. While some concerns were expressed at early stages regarding financial market policies and developments, generally when risks seemed abstract or remote, warnings were too few, received too little emphasis in key editorial sections likely to attract attention and were rarely followed up. Important issues, notably the weak capital base and lack of resilience of the banking systems in the two countries, were missed almost entirely. In the light of this review, suggestions for improving surveillance are offered, relating to (1) strengthening analytical frameworks; (2) improving the current institutional context in which surveillance takes place; (3) staff and management issues; and (4) dissemination and communication. In addition, the need to re-design international frameworks for surveillance to integrate more fully new "major players" in the global economy and financial systems is briefly discussed.
Keywords:
monetary policy, United Kingdom, financial crisis, BIS, surveillance, financial markets, bubbles, prudential policy, house prices, OECD, securitisation, financial regulation, United States, structured products, IMF, financial innovation
JEL Classification:
  • E44: Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics / Money and Interest Rates / Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
  • E58: Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics / Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit / Central Banks and Their Policies
  • E65: Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics / Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook / Studies of Particular Policy Episodes
  • F33: International Economics / International Finance / International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
  • F34: International Economics / International Finance / International Lending and Debt Problems
  • G1: Financial Economics / General Financial Markets
  • G2: Financial Economics / Financial Institutions and Services
  • N20: Economic History / Financial Markets and Institutions / General, International, or Comparative