×

IMF Keeps World Growth Forecasts Unchanged

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday kept its global growth forecasts at 3.5 percent in 2017 and 3.6 percent in 2018 but cautioned that … Continue reading IMF Keeps World Growth Forecasts Unchanged


The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday kept its global growth forecasts at 3.5 percent in 2017 and 3.6 percent in 2018 but cautioned that risks remain skewed to the downside over the medium term.

In its latest World Economic Outlook report, the IMF shaved its growth forecasts for the United States to 2.1 percent for both 2017 and 2018, slightly down from previous projections of 2.3 percent and 2.5 percent.

The markdown reflects in part the weak growth in the first quarter of the year. The revision comes also because details of U.S. President Trump’s fiscal plans, such as reform in health care and tax system, have not materialized.

A weaker-than-expected first quarter also caused the IMF to trim down its forecast for the United Kingdom to 1.7 percent in 2017.

But the slowdown in the U.S. and the UK are expected to be offset by better performances in eurozone countries and China.

The lender said growth in the eurozone is expected to be slightly stronger this year and next. It upgraded GDP projections for the single-currency region to 1.9 percent for 2017, and 1.7 percent for 2018, up 0.2 percent and 0.1 percent respectively.

Meanwhile, it further upgraded China’s economic growth outlook in 2017 to 6.7 percent, leaving the country on track to meet its growth target of “around 6.5 percent.” The upward change is also a reflection of Beijing’s previous policy easing and supply-side reforms.

However, the organization also expressed concerns about commodity-exporting nations, as lower prices may cause economic strains. The IMF noted that those countries’ economic growth has been below pre-crisis averages and it advised those nations to diversify their sources of growth.

Read Also: China Says U.S. Surveillance Activities Not Good For Mutual Trust