IMF cuts 2014 global growth forecast, sees rising risks

The International Monetary Fund warned Thursday that geopolitical risks in Ukraine and the Middle East are looming over a global economy already hit by slowdowns in the US and China. After ‘negative surprises’ from the United States and China, the global economy is now expected to grow only 3.4 per cent this year, the IMF said, lowering its April estimate of 3.7 per cent. In 2013, the world economy grew 3.2 per cent. The downgraded 2014 growth outlook reflects a ‘weak first quarter, particularly in the United States, and a less optimistic outlook for several emerging markets,’ the IMF said in an update of its semiannual World Economic Outlook (WEO). ‘Geopolitical risks have risen relative to April: risks of an oil price spike are higher due to recent developments in the Middle East while those related to Ukraine are still present.’ Heavyweight oil producer Iraq is under siege from an Islamist offensive, and fierce fighting between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza has raged for more than two weeks. The Ukraine crisis was exacerbated by the downing last week of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine that killed all 298 people aboard. Russia, the target of US and European Union economic sanctions for its role in the separatist fighting, was likely to see its economy brought to the brink of recession this year, the IMF said. It slashed its Russian growth forecast by 1.1 percentage point, to 0.2 per cent, saying ‘activity in Russia decelerated sharply as geopolitical tensions further weakened demand,’ according to AFP.