The informal sector is an extensive phenomenon in developing countries. While some of its implications have drawn considerable attention in the literature, one relatively unexplored aspect has to do with the saving patterns of workers and firms and how these might influence aggregate savings and wealth inequality. In this paper, we aim to fill that gap by examining both entrepreneurs' and workers'...

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This paper explores the relationship between the inequality of income distribution and the economic growth of 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries during the 1980-2010 period. The study shows that the features of this relationship depend on the income level. In general, inequality is harmful to economic growth. However, when it comes to the upper tail of the richer countries’ income...

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This paper examines the role of guarantees in DC pension plans, in particular minimum investment return guarantees during the accumulation phase. The main goal is to assess the cost and benefits of different return guarantees. The report uses a stochastic financial market model where guarantee claims are calculated as a financial derivative in a financial market framework (like e.g. the valuation...

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The property losses from the Feb 27th 2010 Maule earthquake are assessed as $18.1Bn paid for 38% by insurers, 47% by the Government of Chile and 15% by individuals and businesses. Including $4Bn damage to infrastructure and the costs of lost economic activity the total loss in 2010 values is estimated to have been close to $28Bn. The report considers policy options for expanding the proportion of...

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Pension funds are increasingly looking at infrastructure investment with some investors actively pursuing opportunities in the sector. Different countries are at different stages in the evolution of pension fund investment in infrastructure. A survey of a sample of the most significant actors was launched by the OECD in May 2010 within the framework of the OECD Project on Transcontinental...

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This paper presents the findings from an OECD International Network on Financial Education pilot study undertaken in 14 countries. The analysis focuses on variations in financial knowledge, behaviour and attitude across countries and within countries by socio-demographics. The results highlight a lack of financial knowledge amongst a sizeable proportion of the population in each of the countries...

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In both developing and developed economies, the awareness of the importance of financial education led to the development of an increasing number of tailored national strategies for financial education. These frameworks promote a smoother and more sustainable co-operation between interested parties and stakeholders, avoid duplication of resources and allow the development of articulated and...

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Esta publicación analiza la situación actual de la educación financiera en América Latina y el Caribe, teniendo en cuenta la existencia de retos comunes y el desarrollo de políticas sobre la materia en la región. Las necesidades en materia de educación financiera de la población no son iguales para todos los países de la región, por lo cual es necesario un mayor esfuerzo en términos de medición....

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En esta publicación, se ha compilado un conjunto de ponencias en las que se presenta la problemática y las experiencias nacionales sobre las remesas de migrantes en Perú, Ecuador, Colombia, República Dominicana, Honduras y Guatemala, así como las contribuciones del Fondo de Inversiones del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID/FOMIN), la Organización Mundial para las Migraciones (OIM) y la...

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Presenta una serie de documentos elaborados por pensadores de la región sobre el escenario social de América Latina. En ellos se desprende las demandas de la sociedad en temas como la reconstrucción del Estado para su democratización, los nuevos modos de hacer política de los movimientos sociales, los derechos y la ciudadanía en sociedades polarizadas y la exclusión social. Esta publicación...

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