Labor and Product Market Reforms and External Imbalances: Evidence from Advanced Economies

Labor and Product Market Reforms and External Imbalances: Evidence from Advanced Economies
Author: Mr.Romain A Duval
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 31
Release: 2021-02-26
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1513570749

We explore the impact of major labor and product market reforms on current account dynamics using a new “narrative” database of major changes in employment protection for regular workers and product market regulation for non-manufacturing industries covering 26 advanced economies over the past four decades. Our main finding is that product market deregulation is associated with a weakening of the current account, while labor market deregulation is associated with an improvement. These effects are transitory and driven by both saving and investment responses. Labor and product market reforms both have a more positive impact on the current account balance when implemented under weak macroeconomic conditions. Our results are broadly consistent with predictions from recent DSGE models with endogenous producer entry and labor market frictions.

Product Market Regulation and Macroeconomic Performance

Product Market Regulation and Macroeconomic Performance
Author: Fabio Schiantarelli
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 46
Release: 2005
Genre: Competition
ISBN:

"The main purpose of this paper is to provide a critical overview of the recent empirical contributions that use cross-country data to study the effects of product market regulation and reform on a country's macroeconomic performance. After a brief review of the theoretical literature and of relevant micro-econometric evidence, the paper discusses the main data and methodological issues related to empirical work on this topic. It then critically evaluates the cross-country evidence on the effects of product market regulation on mark-ups, firm dynamics, investment, employment, innovation, productivity, and output growth. The paper concludes with a summary of lessons learned from the econometric results." -- Cover verso.

Structural Reforms and Economic Performance in Advanced and Developing Countries

Structural Reforms and Economic Performance in Advanced and Developing Countries
Author: Mr.Jonathan David Ostry
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 62
Release: 2009-10-15
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1589068181

This volume examines the impact on economic performance of structural policies-policies that increase the role of market forces and competition in the economy, while maintaining appropriate regulatory frameworks. The results reflect a new dataset covering reforms of domestic product markets, international trade, the domestic financial sector, and the external capital account, in 91 developed and developing countries. Among the key results of this study, the authors find that real and financial reforms (and, in particular, domestic financial liberalization, trade liberalization, and agricultural liberalization) boost income growth. However, growth effects differ significantly across alternative reform sequencing strategies: a trade-before-capital-account strategy achieves better outcomes than the reverse, or even than a "big bang"; also, liberalizing the domestic financial sector together with the external capital account is growth-enhancing, provided the economy is relatively open to international trade. Finally, relatively liberalized domestic financial sectors enhance the economy's resilience, reducing output costs from adverse terms-of-trade and interest-rate shocks; increased credit availability is one of the key mechanisms.

Labor and Product Market Reforms in Advanced Economies

Labor and Product Market Reforms in Advanced Economies
Author: Angana Banerji
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 120
Release: 2017-03-13
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1475583974

Product and labor market reforms are needed to lift persistently sluggish growth in advanced economies. But reforms have progressed slowly because of concerns about their distributive and short-term economic effects. Our analysis, based on new empirical and numerical analysis and country case-studies shows that most labor and product market reforms can improve public debt dynamics over the medium-term. This because reforms raise output by boosting employment and/or labor productivity. But the effect of some labor market reforms on budgetary outcomes and fiscal sustainability depends critically on business cycle conditions. Our evidence also suggests that some temporary and well-designed up-front fiscal stimulus can help enhance the economic impact of reforms. In the past, countries have used fiscal incentives in the past to facilitate reforms by alleviating transition and social costs. But strong ownership of reforms was crucial for their successful implementation.

Assessing the Macroeconomic Impact of Structural Reforms The Case of Italy

Assessing the Macroeconomic Impact of Structural Reforms The Case of Italy
Author: Ms.Lusine Lusinyan
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 59
Release: 2013-01-24
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1475530862

Wide-ranging structural reforms are underway in Italy, aimed at addressing key bottlenecks in the product and labor markets. Our analysis, based on the IMF‘s Global Integrated Monetary and Fiscal model (GIMF), attempts to quantify the potential gains to the economy from a comprehensive package of structural reforms. We find that these gains can be sizeable. While in most cases, the reforms go in the right direction, their impact would depend on effective and timely implementation. In some areas, especially in the labor market, reforms would benefit from further strengthening. The priorities should be to strengthen competition in the non-tradable sector and make the labor market more efficient and inclusive, supported by growth-friendly fiscal reforms.

Structural Reforms and Macroeconomic Performance - Initial Considerations for the Fund

Structural Reforms and Macroeconomic Performance - Initial Considerations for the Fund
Author: International Monetary Fund
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 64
Release: 2015-10-14
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1498344119

Structural policies have become a prominent feature of today’s macroeconomic policy discussion. For many countries, lackluster economic growth and high unemployment cloud the outlook. With fewer traditional policy options, policymakers are increasingly focused on the complementary role of structural policies in promoting more durable job-rich growth. In particular, the G20 has emphasized the essential role of structural reforms in ensuring strong, sustainable and balanced growth. Against this backdrop, the 2014 Triennial Surveillance Review (TSR) called for further work to enhance the Fund’s ability to selectively provide more expert analysis and advice on structural issues, particularly where there is broad interest among member countries. The purpose of this paper is to engage the Board on staff’s post-TSR work toward strengthening the Fund’s capacity to analyze and, where relevant, offer policy advice on macro-relevant structural issues.

World Economic Outlook, April 2019

World Economic Outlook, April 2019
Author: International Monetary Fund. Research Dept.
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 216
Release: 2019-04-09
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1484397487

After strong growth in 2017 and early 2018, global economic activity slowed notably in the second half of last year, reflecting a confluence of factors affecting major economies. China’s growth declined following a combination of needed regulatory tightening to rein in shadow banking and an increase in trade tensions with the United States. The euro area economy lost more momentum than expected as consumer and business confidence weakened and car production in Germany was disrupted by the introduction of new emission standards; investment dropped in Italy as sovereign spreads widened; and external demand, especially from emerging Asia, softened. Elsewhere, natural disasters hurt activity in Japan. Trade tensions increasingly took a toll on business confidence and, so, financial market sentiment worsened, with financial conditions tightening for vulnerable emerging markets in the spring of 2018 and then in advanced economies later in the year, weighing on global demand. Conditions have eased in 2019 as the US Federal Reserve signaled a more accommodative monetary policy stance and markets became more optimistic about a US–China trade deal, but they remain slightly more restrictive than in the fall.