This paper provides the basis of the Executive Board's annual review of the Fund's income position, the burden-sharing mechanism, and the system of special charges, and makes proposals for the rate of charge in FY07.

The review of income for the year ended April 30, 2007 (FY07) builds on the midyear income review and the February 2007 meeting of the Committee on the Budget

In March and April this year, Executive Directors had wide-ranging discussions on the Fund’s income outlook, which has changed significantly following the recent sharp decline in credit outstanding. Directors supported the proposal for a two-pronged strategy that would involve, first, immediate steps to address the projected income shortfall in FY2007 under current policies and within the framework of the FY2007 budget and, second, development of a broader work plan on the options to ensure a stable and sustainable income base.

This paper provides updated information on the Fund’s income position. The regular midyear review of the Fund’s income for FY 2006 was completed by the Executive Board on December 9, 2005. That review projected a small shortfall of SDR 18 million from the regular net income target of SDR 188 million. The projection was based on the usual set of assumptions, including that repurchases would be made as scheduled.

This paper provides the basis for the Executive Board’s midyear review of the Fund’s income position based on developments in the first half of FY 2008. Under Rule I-6(4) of the Fund’s Rules and Regulations, the Executive Board should consider whether the margin over the SDR interest rate used to calculate the rate of charge as determined at the beginning of the year should be changed in light of the actual income position for the first six months.

The Fund’s total net income for FY 2017, including surcharges, is projected at about SDR 1.7 billion or some SDR 0.7 billion higher than expected in April 2016. This mainly reflects the IAS 19 adjustment (relating to reporting of employee benefits), which is expected to contribute about SDR 0.4 billion to net income, and higher investment income. Lending income is expected to be modestly lower than the April 2016 estimates. The paper recommends that GRA net income of SDR 1.2 billion for FY 2017 (which excludes projected income of the gold endowment), be placed equally to the special and general reserve. After the placement of GRA FY 2017 net income to reserves, precautionary balances are projected to reach SDR 16.4 billion at the end of FY 2017. The paper further proposes to transfer currencies equivalent to the increase in the Fund’s reserves from the GRA to the Investment Account. In April 2016, the margin for the rate of charge was set at 100 basis points for the two years FY 2017 and FY 2018. The margin may be adjusted before the end of the first year of this two-year period (i.e., FY 2017) but only if warranted by fundamental changes in the underlying factors relevant for the establishment of the margin at the start of the two-year period. Staff does not propose a change in the margin. The projections for FY 2018 point to a net income position of SDR 0.7 billion. These projections are subject to considerable uncertainty and are sensitive to a number of assumptions.

This paper presents the Fund’s actual outcome for the first half of FY 2006 together with updated income projections for the year as a whole.