Global Growth Accelerating

Friday, April 23, 2010

In yet another indication that the global economic recovery is gaining momentum, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has again raised its projections (see our January 28 blog). On April 21 the organization bumped its 2010 global GDP forecast from 3.9% to 4.2% and reiterated its prediction of 4.3% in 2011
The IMF continues to emphasize that the expansion will be lead by the leading emerging economies of China, India and Brazil with growth increases of 10.0%, 8.8%, and 5.5% respectively. The IMF also continues to anticipate sluggish growth in the Euro Area (1.0%) and Japan (1.9%) but they are becoming more optimistic regarding the U.S. with GDP growth raised from 2.7% to 3.1%.
The IMF forecast is supported by a consensus of economists that the latest monthly polling by The Economist foresees modest 2010 GDP growth in the Euro Area (1.2%) and Japan (1.9%), slightly higher growth in the U.S. (3.1%) and robust growth in China (9.7%), India (7.7%) and Brazil (5.5%). Worth noting is that these economists anticipate a broad-based as well as a multiyear expansion. The consensus expects positive 2010 growth in 38 of the 42 countries included in the survey (negative growth is projected for Greece, Spain, Hungry and Venezuela) and additional gains in 2011 for 40 of the 42 (Greece and Venezuela are the exceptions).