The IMF and World Bank open their 2026 Annual Meetings in Bangkok on Monday with global growth projected at 3.0% and public debt near 100% of GDP as the Middle East conflict bites.
Tag: global economy
Posted inEconomy
China’s 5% GDP growth masks a property slump and a youth jobs crisis
China’s economy expanded 5% in Q1 2026, meeting the government’s target, but record exports and the headline growth rate conceal 16.3% youth unemployment and more than 36 months of falling home prices.
Posted inEconomy
Bank of Japan holds at 0.75% but a three-way dissent signals the next hike is close
The Bank of Japan’s April 28 decision passed 6-3, with three board members calling for an immediate rise to 1.0% — the sharpest internal split in years, set against a slashed growth forecast and rising inflation tied to Iran war energy costs.
Posted inEconomy
Tariffs and tanker rerouting are redrawing the world’s trade map
The combination of US tariff barriers and Hormuz-driven shipping reroutes has added weeks to delivery times and billions in freight costs, with global goods trade in Q1 2026 recording its sharpest quarterly contraction since the pandemic.
Posted inEconomy
IMF warns Iran war and tariffs are choking the global recovery
The Fund’s April 2026 World Economic Outlook identified a new combined threat to growth: persistent US tariff disputes layered on top of a Middle East energy shock that has upended the low-inflation environment central banks spent three years building.