WEO | IMF Blog

Global Economic Upswing Creates a Window of Opportunity

October 10, 2017

Versions in عربي (Arabic), 中文 (Chinese), Français (French), 日本語 (Japanese), Русский (Russian), and Español (Spanish)

The global recovery is continuing, and at a faster pace. The picture is very different from early last year, when the world economy faced faltering growth and financial market turbulence. We see an accelerating cyclical upswing boosting Europe, China, Japan, and the United States, as well as emerging Asia.

The latest World Economic Outlook has therefore upgraded its global growth projections to 3.6 percent for this year and 3.7 percent for next—in both cases 0.1 percentage point above our previous forecasts, and well above 2016’s global growth rate of 3.2 percent, which was the lowest since the global financial crisis. Continue reading “Global Economic Upswing Creates a Window of Opportunity” »

By IMFBlog| October 10th, 2017|Advanced Economies, capital markets, developing countries, Economic outlook, Emerging Markets, Employment, Environment, Financial Crisis, Fiscal policy, Global Governance, Government, IMF, inclusive growth, Inequality, monetary policy, structural reforms, technology, trade, wages|

The Disconnect Between Unemployment and Wages

By Gee Hee Hong, Zsoka Koczan, Weicheng Lian, Malhar Nabar

September 27, 2017

Versions in عربي (Arabic), 中文 (Chinese), Español (Spanish), Français (French), Русский (Russian)

Demand for workers is rising, but pay is hardly catching up (photo: Shironosov/iStock).

Over the past three years, labor markets in many advanced economies have shown increasing signs of healing from the Great Recession of 2008-09. Yet, despite falling unemployment rates, wage growth has been subdued–raising a vexing question: Why isn’t a higher demand for workers driving up pay?

Our research in the October 2017 World Economic Outlook sheds light on the sources of subdued nominal wage growth in advanced economies since the Great Recession. Understanding the drivers of the disconnect between unemployment and wages is important not only for macroeconomic policy, but also for prospects of reducing income inequality and enhancing workers’ security. Continue reading “The Disconnect Between Unemployment and Wages” »

By IMFBlog| September 27th, 2017|Advanced Economies, Annual Meetings, capital markets, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Employment, Globalization, inclusive growth, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Investment, jobs, labor force, labor markets, monetary policy, productivity, unemployment, wages, youth|

The Unequal Burden of Rising Temperatures: How Can Low-Income Countries Cope?

By Sebastian Acevedo, Mico Mrkaic, Evgenia Pugacheva, and Petia Topalova

September 27, 2017

Versions in عربي (Arabic), 中文 (Chinese), Español (Spanish), Français (French), 日本語 (Japanese), Русский (Russian)

The Earth’s temperature is rising. This will shape the economic future of communities across the globe (photo: Leolintang/iStock by GettyImages).

The Earth’s temperature is rising and its climate is changing. The increase in temperatures will shape the economic future of communities and countries across the globe. All countries will feel the direct negative effects from unmitigated climate change. But as our research in Chapter 3 of the October 2017 World Economic Outlook shows, the effects of higher temperatures will not be equal everywhere and the brunt of the adverse consequences will be borne by those who can least afford it—low-income countries. Continue reading “The Unequal Burden of Rising Temperatures: How Can Low-Income Countries Cope?” »

By IMFBlog| September 27th, 2017|Africa, Asia, climate change, commodities, developing countries, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, education, Environment, Global Governance, Globalization, Government, Inequality, Low-income countries, natural disasters|

Global Economy Gaining Momentum—For Now

By Maurice Obstfeld

Versions in عربي (Arabic), 中文 (Chinese), Français (French), 日本語 (Japanese), Русский (Russian), and Español (Spanish)

Momentum in the global economy has been building since the middle of last year, allowing us to reaffirm our earlier forecasts of higher global growth this year and next. We project the world economy to grow at a pace of 3.5 percent in 2017, up from 3.1 percent last year, and 3.6 percent in 2018. Acceleration will be broad based across advanced, emerging, and low-income economies, building on gains we have seen in both manufacturing and trade.

Our new projection for 2017 in the April World Economic Outlook is marginally higher than what we expected in our last update. This improvement comes primarily from good economic news for Europe and Asia, as well as our continuing expectation for higher growth this year in the United States.

Continue reading “Global Economy Gaining Momentum—For Now” »

By IMFBlog| April 18th, 2017|Advanced Economies, capital markets, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Employment, Fiscal policy, Globalization, growth, inclusive growth, income, Inequality, labor markets, Low-income countries, Politics, productivity, Uncategorized|

The Quest for Robust and Synchronized Growth

By Maurice Obstfeld

(Versions in Español, عربي, 中文, Français, Русский and 日本語)

Today, we released the October 2015 World Economic Outlook.

Our forecasts come at a moment when the world economy is at the intersection of at least three powerful forces.

First, China’s economic transformation – away from export- and investment-led growth and manufacturing, in favor of a greater focus on consumption and services. This process, however necessary and healthy in the longer term, has near-term implications for China’s growth and its relations with its trade partners.

Continue reading “The Quest for Robust and Synchronized Growth” »

By IMFBlog| October 6th, 2015|Advanced Economies, Annual Meetings, Asia, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Europe, growth, IMF, International Monetary Fund, Investment, Reform|

Behind the News in Greece and China, Moderate Growth Continues

By Olivier Blanchard

(Versions in Español and عربي)

Today we published the World Economic Outlook Update.

But first, let me talk about the elephant in the room, namely Greece.

The word elephant may not be right: As dramatic as the events in Greece are, Greece accounts for less than two percent of the Eurozone GDP, and less than one half of one percent of world GDP.
Continue reading “Behind the News in Greece and China, Moderate Growth Continues” »

By IMFBlog| July 9th, 2015|Advanced Economies, Asia, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Emerging Markets, Europe, Financial Crisis, Globalization, growth, IMF, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Latin America, Politics, Reform|

Four Forces Facing the Global Economy

By Olivier Blanchard

(Versions in عربي and Español)

In our April 2015 World Economic Outlook, we forecast global growth to be roughly the same this year than last year, 3.5% versus 3.4%. This global number reflects an increase in growth in advanced economies, 2.4% versus 1.8%, offset by a decrease in growth in emerging market and developing economies, 4.3% versus 4.6% last year. In short, to repeat the words used by the IMF Managing Director last week, we see growth as “moderate and uneven”.

Behind these numbers lies an unusually complex set of forces shaping the world economy. Some, such as the decline in the price of oil and the evolution of exchange rates, are highly visible. Some, from crisis legacies to lower potential growth, play more of a role behind the scene but are important nevertheless. Let me briefly review them.

Continue reading “Four Forces Facing the Global Economy” »

By IMFBlog| April 14th, 2015|Advanced Economies, Annual Meetings, Asia, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Globalization, Government, growth, IMF, International Monetary Fund, Investment, Reform, Uncategorized|

No Puzzle About Weak Business Investment: It’s the Economy!

By Aqib Aslam, Daniel Leigh, and Seok Gil Park

(Versions in عربي, 中文, Français, 日本語, Русский, and Español)

The debate continues on why businesses aren’t investing more in machinery, equipment and plants. In advanced economies, business investment—the largest component of private investment—has contracted much more since the global financial crisis than after previous recession. And there are worrying signs that this has eroded long-term economic growth.

Getting the diagnosis right is critical for devising policies to encourage firms to invest more. If low investment is merely a symptom of a weak economic environment, with firms responding to weak sales, then calls for expanding overall economic activity could be justified. If, on the other hand, special impediments are mainly to blame, such as policy uncertainty or financial sector weaknesses, as some suggest, then these must be removed before investment can rise.

Continue reading “No Puzzle About Weak Business Investment: It’s the Economy!” »

By IMFBlog| April 7th, 2015|Advanced Economies, Annual Meetings, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, Financial Crisis, Globalization, growth, IMF, International Monetary Fund, Investment, Reform, Uncategorized|

Legacies, Clouds and Uncertainties

By Olivier Blanchard

(Versions in Français, español, 中文, Русский, 日本語)

The recovery continues, but it is weak and uneven.

You have now seen the basic numbers from our latest projections in the October 2014 World Economic Outlook released today. We forecast world growth to be 3.3% in 2014, down 0.1% from our July forecast, and 3.8% in 2015, down 0.2% from our July forecast.

This number hides however very different evolutions. Some countries have recovered or nearly recovered. But others are still struggling.

Looking around the world, economies are subject to two main forces. One from the past: Countries have to deal with the legacies of the financial crisis, ranging from debt overhangs to high unemployment. One from the future, or more accurately, the anticipated future: Potential growth rates are being revised down, and these worse prospects are in turn affecting confidence, demand, and growth today.

Because these two forces play in different countries to different degrees, economic evolutions are becoming more differentiated. With this in mind, let me take you on the usual quick tour of the world:

Continue reading “Legacies, Clouds and Uncertainties” »

By IMFBlog| October 7th, 2014|Advanced Economies, Annual Meetings, Asia, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Europe, Financial Crisis, growth, IMF, International Monetary Fund, Latin America, Reform, Uncategorized|

As Demand Improves, Time to Focus More on Supply

By Olivier Blanchard

(Version in Français, Español, Русский, عربي, 中文 and 日本語)

The dynamics that were emerging at the time of the October 2013 World Economic Outlook are becoming more visible. Put simply, the recovery is strengthening.

In our recent World Economic Outlook, we forecast world growth to be 3.6 percent this year and 3.9 percent next year, up from 3.0 percent last year.

In advanced economies, we forecast growth to reach 2.2 percent in 2014, up from 1.3 percent in 2013.

The recovery which was starting to take hold in October is becoming not only stronger, but also broader. The various brakes that hampered growth are being slowly loosened. Fiscal consolidation is slowing, and investors are less worried about debt sustainability. Banks are gradually becoming stronger. Although we are far short of a full recovery, the normalization of monetary policy—both conventional and unconventional—is now on the agenda.

Brakes are loosened at different paces however, and the recovery remains uneven.

Continue reading “As Demand Improves, Time to Focus More on Supply” »

By IMFBlog| April 8th, 2014|Advanced Economies, Africa, Asia, Economic Crisis, Economic outlook, Economic research, Emerging Markets, Financial Crisis, growth, IMF, Inequality, International Monetary Fund, Uncategorized|

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