The world economy is predicted to contract this year before picking up next. By historical standards, growth will continue to be modest as the conflict in Ukraine being fought by Russia. And the battle against inflation weigh on the economy. Despite these challenges, the prognosis is more optimistic than in our forecast from October. It may mark a turning point as growth bottoms out and inflation falls.
The third quarter of last year saw unexpectedly strong household consumption, business investment, and economic growth. All credits goes to better-than-expected resiliency to the European energy crisis. Even though core inflation, which includes more volatile energy and food costs, has yet to peak in many countries. It too showed improvement, with overall measures of inflation now declining in the majority of them
The abrupt reopening of China lays the stage for an immediate uptick in activity. Additionally, as inflation pressures began to ease, the state of the world’s finances improved. These factors, along with the US dollar’s decline from its peak in November, gave emerging and developing nations some little solace.
As a result, we marginally raised our growth projections for 2022 and 2023. Global growth will decline from 3.4% in 2022 to 2.9% in 2023 before increasing to 3.1% in 2024.
The slowdown will be more pronounced for advanced economies, with growth rates falling from 2.7 percent last year to 1.2 percent and 1.4 percent this year and next. It is expected that nine out of ten advanced economies will slow down.
As the effects of interest rate increases from the Federal Reserve spread across the economy, US GDP will drop to 1.4 percent in 2023. Activity was slowed last year by the limitations and COVID-19 breakouts in China. With the economy now fully operational, we anticipate growth to pick up this year to 5.2 percent as activity and mobility increase. In areas with persistently high inflation pressures, central banks must boost real policy rates above the neutral rate and maintain them there until underlying inflation is clearly on the decline. By easing too soon, the gains made thus far run the risk of being undone.
To the greatest extent practicable, emerging market economies should allow their currencies to fluctuate in reaction to the tightening global monetary circumstances. When necessary, capital flow restrictions or interventions in foreign exchange can assist reduce excessive or unrelated volatility. The forecast for the world economy has not gotten worse this time. Though encouraging, that is insufficient. The path to a complete recovery, marked by sustainable growth, stable prices, and advancement for all, is just beginning.