This paper reviews key findings of the IMF’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1957. The report highlights that boom conditions continued throughout 1956, sustained by an undercurrent of private business investment sufficiently strong to compensate for such weaknesses as appeared in some individual sectors. Any apprehensions, which might have been entertained in the early months of the year that the upward trend of business was soon to be reversed, were thus shown to be without foundation.

This paper reviews key findings of the IMF’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1956. The report highlights that the world payments situation has in fact improved, restrictions have been further relaxed, the transferability of important currencies has been extended, and discrimination, especially that resulting from bilateral arrangements, has had less influence on the direction of trade. Progress in extending multilateral trade and payments has thus been maintained, although during the year there was no addition to the list of IMF members that have established formal convertibility of their currencies.

The global economy has experienced four waves of rapid debt accumulation over the past 50 years. The first three debt waves ended with financial crises in many emerging market and developing economies. During the current wave, which started in 2010, the increase in debt in these economies has already been larger, faster, and broader-based than in the previous three waves. Current low interest rates mitigate some of the risks associated with high debt. However, emerging market and developing economies are also confronted by weak growth prospects, mounting vulnerabilities, and elevated global risks. A menu of policy options is available to reduce the likelihood that the current debt wave will end in crisis and, if crises do take place, will alleviate their impact.

This paper reviews key findings of the IMF’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1960. The report highlights that the year ended April 1960 showed a continued upswing in world industrial activity and an increase in world trade. Industrial production in 1959 was greater by 10 percent than in the recession year of 1958, and the value of world trade increased by 6 percent, both increases being more or less continuous from about the middle of 1958.