CAUSES OF FINANCIAL CRISIS: THE CASE OF LATVIA

In this paper, we review how Latvia developed during the boom period and discuss the key structural features of the Latvian economy. We show that a combination of monetary and fiscal expansion contributed to a greater vulnerability to external shocks. We also show that the GDP growth was largely driven by capital deepening, while productivity gains played a significantly smaller role. As a result, one of the most important explanations for the exceptionally deep recession in Latvia should be distortions in the non-traded sectors of the economy. Finally, we give a brief analysis on policy measures that have been taken to correct the distortions and possible pros and cons of an external devaluation

Contagion and Spillovers: New Insights from the Crisis

On February 12, 2010, SUERF, the Oesterreichische Nationalbank and the Bankwissenschaftliche Gesellschaft continued their established tradition of jointly organised conferences. As evidenced also by the 115 conference participants, this year's subject of "Contagion and Spillovers – New Insights from the Crisis" turned out to be particularly topical, as first lessons from the financial crisis and global recession were being drawn, while concerns about Greece's government debt problems were threatening to spread to other countries within the euro area, with potential negative repercussions for the euro area as a whole being feared by observers