Capital Flows, Bond Markets, and Financial Stability in Asia

The 1997 Asian financial crisis was a landmark moment and an important catalyst for financial transformation in the region. After the crisis subsided, Asian policymakers embarked on a series of initiatives aimed at developing robust local currency bond markets. The growth of bond markets across Asia has helped the region as a whole reduce its reliance on foreign funding dramatically since the crisis. Yet, a gap has emerged between creditor economies that are able to maintain large external surpluses and self-insure against risk and debtor economies that continue to remain dependent on borrowing and are exposed to capital outflows. As such, the goal of creating of sustainable funding sources for Asian economies is still a work in progress.