Country Reports
2023
June 26, 2023
Denmark: 2023 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; and Staff Report
Description: The Danish economy recovered strongly from the pandemic, which contributed to inflation pressures from higher energy and import prices. More recently, there are signs that economic activity is cooling, as inflation is lowering real incomes, financial conditions are tightening, and external demand is weakening, but labor markets remain relatively tight. Staff expect growth to slow to 1¼ percent in 2023. Risks to growth are broadly balanced, but upside risks dominate inflation. The financial system has remained stable, although house prices have fallen. The medium-term growth outlook remains modest, reflecting well-known structural issues, in particular demographic headwinds.
June 26, 2023
Haiti: Second Review Under the Staff-Monitored Program-Press Release; and Staff Report
Description: Haiti faces a challenging macroeconomic outlook amid a humanitarian crisis. The country has been hit hard by economic spillovers from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with food price inflation triggering a hunger crisis. This global shock has been compounded by a dire security situation, which has heightened the economy’s fragility, hampered activity, and generated supply-side bottlenecks which have further fueled inflation. Risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside.
June 26, 2023
Uganda: Fourth Review under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement, Requests for a Waiver of Nonobservance of a Performance Criterion and Modification of a Performance Criterion-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Uganda
Description: The outlook remains challenging. While the economy is recovering from shocks induced by the war in Ukraine and the Ebola outbreak, the recent global market turmoil, and potential spillovers from the conflict in Sudan pose new policy challenges. The authorities have reacted to the shocks with support to vulnerable households, an appropriate monetary policy stance to contain inflation, and fiscal consolidation to contain vulnerabilities.
June 25, 2023
Indonesia: 2023 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Indonesia
Description: Outlook and risks. The Indonesian economy performed strongly in 2022, driven by a recovery in domestic demand and solid export performance. Growth is projected to moderate slightly in 2023 amid tighter domestic policy settings and the normalization of commodity prices, while inflationary pressures are expected to subside, with inflation falling within BI’s headline inflation target band in the second half of 2023. Risks are balanced, but a highly uncertain global economic environment continues to cloud the outlook. Continued high inflation and growth slowdown in major economies, lower commodity prices, and heightened volatility in global financial markets constitute key near-term risks.
June 23, 2023
Iceland: Financial System Stability Assessment
Description: Iceland has made solid progress since the 2008 crisis and the last FSAP update in restructuring banks and implementing important financial sector reforms. It has transposed many EU Directives and Regulations into national law, improving the regulatory, supervisory, and crisis management frameworks. Despite global headwinds, Iceland is exiting the pandemic with strong economic growth and highly capitalized banks. Rising inflation has prompted appropriate policy rate hikes, and macroprudential policies related to real estate exposures have been tightened. Payment systems are dependent on international connectivity of debit and credit card providers.
June 23, 2023
Iceland: 2023 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Iceland
Description: Iceland has recovered from the shocks of recent years faster than envisaged and scarring from the pandemic is expected to be minimal. The recovery reflects pent-up demand from the pandemic, a rebound of the tourism industry, rapid immigration, and the fact that, unlike most European countries, Iceland experienced an improvement in its terms of trade in 2022. The economy is currently operating above potential. Absent an adjustment in policies, imbalances are likely to increase. Risks are tilted to the downside.
June 22, 2023
Dominican Republic: 2023 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Dominican Republic
Description: Supported by sound policies and positive spillovers, the Dominican Republic has staged an impressive recovery from the pandemic, cementing its place as one of the most dynamic and resilient economies in the Western Hemisphere. The strong recovery began moderating at the end of 2022 in response to tighter global financial conditions, lower global demand, and policy accommodation withdrawal, helping ease inflationary pressures. The current account deficit widened in 2022 to 5.6 percent of GDP and was mostly financed by Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows, with the country maintaining sound market access. The financial sector appears well-capitalized, liquid, and profitable.