Weo Update 0709

Weo Update 0709

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  July 8, 2009 Contractionary Forces Receding But Weak Recovery Ahead The global economy is beginning to pull out of a recession unprecedented in the post–World War II era, but stabilization is uneven and the recovery is expected to be sluggish. Economic growth during 2009–10 is now projected to be about ½ percentage points higher than projected in the April 2009 World Economic Outlook (WEO), reaching 2.5 percent in 2010. Financial conditions have improved more than expected, owing mainly to public intervention, and recent data suggest that the rate of decline in economic activity is moderating, although to varying degrees among regions. Despite these positive signs, the global recession is not over, and the recovery is still expected to be slow, as financial systems remain impaired, support from public policies will gradually diminish, and households in countries that suffered asset price busts will rebuild savings. The main policy priority remains restoring financial sector health. Macroeconomic policies need to stay supportive, while preparing the ground for an orderly unwinding of extraordinary levels of public intervention. At the same time, given weak internal demand prospects in a number of current account deficit countries, including the United States, policies need to sustain stronger demand in key surplus countries. Stabilization is uneven and recovery will WEO (Table 1). The higher annual average likely be sluggish. growth rate for 2010 largely reflects carryover from a markup in growth during the final half The world economy is stabilizing, helped by of 2009. On a fourth-quarter-over-fourth- unprecedented macroeconomic and financial quarter basis, real GDP growth is projected at policy support. However, the recession is not 2.9 percent in 2010, compared with 2.6 percent over and the recovery is likely to be sluggish. in the April WEO forecast. Following a disappointing first quarter, during which the global economy contracted almost Figure 1. Global GDP Growth (Percent; quarter-over-quarter, annualized) as fast as during the fourth quarter of 2008, (Figure 1), high-frequency data point to a 12 Emerging and return to modest growth at the global level developing economies 10 8 (Figure 2). However, the advanced economies World 6 4 as a group are still projected not to show a 2 sustained pickup in activity until the second Advanced 0 -2 half of 2010, consistent with the April 2009 economies -4 WEO forecast. -6 -8 -10 2005 06 07 08 09 10 Accordingly, global activity is forecast to contract by 1.4 percent in 2009 and to expand Source: IMF staff estimates. by 2.5 percent in 2010, which is 0.6 percentage point higher than envisaged in the April 2009
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  2 Table 1. Overviewof the World Economic Outlook Projections (Percent change, unless otherwise noted) Year over Year Q4 over Q4 Difference from April Projections 2009 WEO Projections Estimates Projections 2007 2008 2009 2010 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 1 World output 5.1 3.1 -1.4 2.5 -0.1 0.6 0.2 0.0 2.9 Advanced economies 2.7 0.8 -3.8 0.6 0.0 0.6 -1.8 -2.2 1.3 United States 2.0 1.1 -2.6 0.8 0.2 0.8 -0.8 -1.4 1.7 Euro area 2.7 0.8 -4.8 -0.3 -0.6 0.1 -1.7 -3.8 0.6 Germany 2.5 1.3 -6.2 -0.6 -0.6 0.4 -1.8 -4.6 0.0 France 2.3 0.3 -3.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 -1.7 -1.9 1.3 Italy 1.6 -1.0 -5.1 -0.1 -0.7 0.3 -3.0 -3.3 0.4 Spain 3.7 1.2 -4.0 -0.8 -1.0 -0.1 -0.7 -4.1 0.3 Japan 2.3 -0.7 -6.0 1.7 0.2 1.2 -4.4 -1.8 0.9 United Kingdom 2.6 0.7 -4.2 0.2 -0.1 0.6 -1.8 -2.5 0.5 Canada 2.5 0.4 -2.3 1.6 0.2 0.4 -1.0 -1.5 2.5 Other advanced economies 4.7 1.6 -3.9 1.0 0.2 0.4 -2.8 -1.6 2.3 Newly industrialized Asian economies 5.7 1.5 -5.2 1.4 0.4 0.6 -4.9 -0.9 2.6 2 Emerging and developing economies 8.3 6.0 1.5 4.7 -0.1 0.7 3.3 3.3 5.1 Africa 6.2 5.2 1.8 4.1 -0.2 0.2 ... ... ... Sub-Sahara 6.9 5.5 1.5 4.1 -0.2 0.3 ... ... ... Central and eastern Europe 5.4 3.0 -5.0 1.0 -1.3 0.2 ... ... ... Commonwealth of Independent States 8.6 5.5 -5.8 2.0 -0.7 0.8 ... ... ... Russia 8.1 5.6 -6.5 1.5 -0.5 1.0 1.1 -0.8 -1.8 Excluding Russia 9.8 5.4 -3.9 3.2 -1.0 0.1 ... ... ... Developing Asia 10.6 7.6 5.5 7.0 0.7 0.9 ... ... ... China 13.0 9.0 7.5 8.5 1.0 1.0 6.9 8.4 8.6 India 9.4 7.3 5.4 6.5 0.9 0.9 4.8 5.8 6.7 3 ASEAN-5 6.3 4.8 -0.3 3.7 -0.3 1.4 1.9 1.6 4.4 Middle East 6.3 5.2 2.0 3.7 -0.5 0.2 ... ... ... Western Hemisphere 5.7 4.2 -2.6 2.3 -1.1 0.7 ... ... ... Brazil 5.7 5.1 -1.3 2.5 0.0 0.3 1.3 1.5 2.5 Mexico 3.3 1.3 -7.3 3.0 -3.6 2.0 -1.7 -4.0 3.1 Memorandum European Union 3.1 1.1 -4.7 -0.1 -0.7 0.2 ... ... ... World growth based on market exchange rates 3.8 2.0 -2.6 1.7 -0.1 0.7 ... ... ... World trade volume (goods and services) 7.2 2.9 -12.2 1.0 -1.2 0.4 ... ... ... Imports Advanced economies 4.7 0.4 -13.6 0.6 -1.5 0.2 ... ... ... Emerging and developing economies 13.8 9.4 -9.6 0.8 -0.8 0.2 ... ... ... Exports Advanced economies 6.2 2.0 -15.0 1.3 -1.5 0.8 ... ... ... Emerging and developing economies 9.5 4.1 -6.5 1.4 -0.1 0.2 ... ... ... Commodity prices (U.S. dollars) 4 Oil 10.7 36.4 -37.6 23.1 8.8 2.9 ... ... ... Nonfuel (average based on world commodity export weights) 14.1 7.5 -23.8 2.2 4.1 -2.2 ... ... ... Consumer prices Advanced economies 2.2 3.4 0.1 0.9 0.3 0.6 2.1 0.5 0.6 2 Emerging and developing economies 6.4 9.3 5.3 4.6 -0.4 -0.1 7.6 4.2 3.7 5 London interbank offered rate (percent) On U.S. dollar deposits 5.3 3.0 1.2 1.4 -0.3 0.0 ... ... ... On euro deposits 4.3 4.6 1.4 1.8 -0.2 -0.2 ... ... ... On Japanese yen deposits 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.4 -0.1 -0.1 ... ... ... Note: Real effective exchange rates are assumed to remain constant at the levels prevailing during May 7-June 4, 2009. Country weights used to construct aggregate growth rates for groups of countries were revised. When economies are not listed alphabetically, they are ordered on the basis of economic size. 1 The quarterly estimates and projections account for 90 percent of the world purchasing-power-parity weights. 2 The quarterly estimates and projections account for approximately 76 percent of the emerging and developing economies. 3 Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. 4 Simple average of prices of U.K. Brent, Dubai, and West Texas Intermediate crude oil. The average price of oil in U.S. dollars a barrel was $97.03 in 2008; the assumed price based on future markets is $60.50 in 2009 and $74.50 in 2010. 5 Six-month rate for the United States and Japan. Three-month rate for the euro area.
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  3 Figure 2. SelectedHigh-Frequency Indicators concerns about systemic failure and have (Annualized percent change of 3-month moving average over previous 3-month moving average unless otherwise noted) supported intermediation (as discussed in the July 2009 Global Financial Stability Report 20 Industrial Production Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index 65 Market Update). Consistent with these 15 Emerging 10 economies1 (index) Emerging 60 developments, financial stress indexes for economies1 5 55 advanced and emerging economies have 0 Advanced 50 receded since the beginning of 2009 -5 economies2 -10 World 45 (Figure 3).1 However, the improvements are -15 40 far from uniform across markets and countries. -20 Advanced -25 economies2 35 In particular, bank lending conditions are -30 2005 06 07 08 Apr. 2005 06 07 08 May 30 expected to remain tight and external financing 09 09 conditions constrained for a considerable time. 60 Merchandise Exports Retail Sales 25 World Emerging Emerging Figure 3. Financial Stress in Advanced and Emerging 40 economies1 20 economies1 Economies1 15 20 (Purchasing-power-parity-weighted average; stress index deviation from World 10 average) 0 5 -20 Advanced economies2 0 Advanced Economies Emerging Economies 20 Emerging 10 -40 Advanced United States economies2 -5 Europe Advanced 8 15 Emerging -60 -10 economy economy aggregate 6 aggregate -80 -15 Emerging 2005 06 07 08 Apr. 2005 06 07 08 Apr. 10 Asia 4 09 09 5 2 Sources: Haver Analytics; and IMF staff calculations. Japan 1Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Colombia, Estonia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, 0 0 Latin Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, -2 Western America Slovak Republic, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Venezuela. Europe 2Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, euro area, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Japan, -5 -4 Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, T aiwan Province of China, 2007 08 May 2007 08 Apr. United Kingdom, and United States. 09 09 Source: IMF staff calculations. 1The financial stress indices are expressed as a deviation from average since mid 1990s. The components of the indices for advanced and emerging economies differ. Going forward, the pace of recovery will depend on the balance between opposing forces. The downward drag exerted by the At the same time, commodity prices have financial shock, the sharp fall of global trade, rebounded ahead of the recovery (Figure 4). and the general increase in uncertainty and The recent rally in commodity prices has been collapse of confidence is gradually strong and broad-based, reflecting improved diminishing. However, supportive forces are market sentiment, U.S. dollar depreciation, and still weak. Many housing markets have yet to commodity-specific factors. In the oil market, bottom out. Importantly, financial markets remain impaired and bank balance sheets still 1 The Financial Stress Index captures episodes of need to be cleaned and institutions impaired financial intermediation by assessing market restructured. Cuts in policy interest rates, responses in securities markets, exchange markets, and continued provision of ample liquidity, credit the banking sector (see Balakrishnan, Danninger, easing, public guarantees, and bank Elekdag, and Tytell, 2009, The Transmission of Financial Stress from Advanced to Emerging recapitalization have appreciably lowered Economies, IMF Working Paper No. 09/133).
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  4 prices have respondedstrongly to perceptions growth in 2010 would still fall short of that market dynamics are shifting from potential until late in the year, implying significant oversupply to more balanced continuing increases in unemployment. conditions. This owes in part to improving Among the major economies, growth rates demand prospects but also Organization of have been marked up mainly for the United Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) States and Japan. members’ strict observance of lower production quotas. Forward markets project oil • In the United States, high-frequency prices at $74.50 for 2010, not much above indicators point to a diminishing rate of current levels, with high excess capacity deterioration, including in the labor and expected to buffer growing demand. housing markets. Industrial production may be close to bottoming out; the Figure 4. Selected Commodity Price Indices inventory cycle is turning; and business (December 31, 2008 = 100) and consumer confidence has improved. 180 These developments are consistent with Crude Oil (APSP)1 stabilization of output during the second 160 Agricultural raw half of 2009 and with a gradual recovery Metals materials 140 emerging in 2010. 120 • In Japan, following a dismal first quarter, Food 100 there are signs that output is stabilizing. 80 Improved consumer confidence, progress Dec. 08 Jan. 09 Feb. 09 Mar. 09 Apr. 09 May. 09 Jun. 09 in inventory adjustment, aggressive fiscal Sources: Bloomberg Financial Markets; and IMF staff calculations. 1APSP: Average unweighted petroleum spot price of West Texas Intermediate, U.K. Brent, policies, and strong performance by some and Dubai Fateh crude. other Asian economies are expected to lift growth in the coming quarters. In this setting, activity and credit growth are likely to remain subdued in many economies. • In the euro area, consumer and business Looking beyond 2010, it remains unclear how survey indicators have been recovering but structurally weaker private consumption in the data on real activity show few signs of United States and other advanced and stabilization and thus activity is projected emerging economies that suffered asset price to strengthen more slowly than elsewhere. collapses will be compensated for by stronger Macroeconomic policies are providing demand elsewhere. Currently, expansionary support but much of the adjustment in the macroeconomic policies and an inventory labor market still lies ahead. Rising adjustment are supporting global activity but unemployment will weigh on consumption these are temporary forces. and activity, as will the economy’s heavy dependence on a still-ailing banking sector. Accordingly, GDP in the advanced economies is projected to decline by 3.8 percent in 2009 Emerging and developing economies are before growing by 0.6 percent in 2010. projected to regain growth momentum during Although the projections are 0.6 percentage the second half of 2009, albeit with notable points higher than in the April WEO forecast, regional differences. Low-income countries
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  5 are facing importantchallenges of their own • Growth projections for emerging Africa because official aid has fallen and these and the Middle East have been revised economies are particularly vulnerable to downward by 0.3 and 0.5 percentage swings in commodity prices. points in 2009, respectively, while those for 2010 are broadly unchanged. Both • Growth projections in emerging Asia have regions have been more negatively affected been revised upward to 5.5 percent in 2009 by the drop in global trade than previously and 7.0 percent in 2010. The upgrade owes expected, with Middle Eastern oil to improved prospects in China and India, exporters using their financial reserves to in part reflecting substantial prop up domestic demand. macroeconomic stimulus; and a faster- than-expected turnaround in capital flows. Inflation pressures to remain low. However, the recent acceleration in growth is likely to peter out unless there is a Inflation pressures have continued to ease with recovery in advanced economies. the continued weakness of the global economy. Year-over-year inflation moderated • Growth projections for Latin America have to 1.7 percent in May, down from around been lowered by 1.1 percentage points in 6 percent one year earlier (Figure 5). In the 2009, primarily because production has advanced economies, headline inflation fell been hit much harder by the global trade below zero percent in May as oil prices slowdown than initially expected. remained far below levels one year earlier, However, the region is benefiting from despite their recent pickup. Core inflation is rising commodity prices, and growth still running around 1½ percent, down from projections have been revised up by 2 percent one year earlier. Similarly, headline 0.7 percentage points in 2010. and core inflation in the emerging markets have moderated, falling below 4½ percent and • The growth projections for central and to around 1 percent in May, respectively. eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of However, developments have been uneven, Independent States (CIS) have been with inflation falling more in China and the revised downward by 1.3 and Middle East than elsewhere. 0.7 percentage points in 2009 and upward by 0.2 and 0.8 percentage points in 2010, respectively. Developments differ appreciably across countries but many have been badly affected by the global financial crisis, with capital flows reversed and commodity exports sharply contracted, although the recent recovery of commodity prices is forecast to raise demand in key CIS economies.
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  6 Figure 5. GlobalInflation ½ percentage point for 2010 from the April (Twelve-month change in the consumer price index unless otherwise noted) WEO forecast, owing to somewhat stronger demand and commodity prices than earlier Global Aggregates projected. Unemployment rates will reach 10 Headline Inflation Core Inflation 10 double digits in some countries, holding back Emerging 8 economies 8 wages and household spending and presenting 6 Emerging 6 significant policy challenges. In the emerging World economies 4 World 4 economies, stronger disinflationary forces in some regions have prompted modest 2 2 Advanced economies Advanced markdowns to the April projections for 0 0 economies inflation, notwithstanding the upward revisions -2 -2 2002 03 04 05 06 07 08 May 2002 03 04 05 06 07 08 May to output growth. 09 09 Country Indicators Risks have moderated but remain to the 5 Headline Inflation Inflation Expectations2 4 downside. United States1 4 United States 3 3 The risks to the outlook are still tilted to the 2 2 downside, although tail risks have diminished Euro area 1 Euro area noticeably. In the advanced economies, rising 1 0 Japan Japan unemployment and a loss of confidence in the -1 0 stability of the financial sector (possibly -2 -1 resulting from a larger-than-anticipated wave 2002 03 04 05 06 07 08 May 2002 03 04 05 06 07 08 Jun. 09 09 of corporate bankruptcies) could put renewed downward pressure on asset prices and Sources: Bloomberg Financial Markets; Haver Analytics; and IMF staff calculations. 1Personal consumption expenditure deflator. potentially trigger a deflationary episode. 2One-year-ahead consensus forecasts. The December values are the average of the surrounding November and January values. Moreover, rising questions about public debt sustainability in some countries could add to Despite upward pressure from recovering upward pressure on bond yields, with negative commodity prices, global inflation is expected effects on the recovery of housing markets. to remain subdued through 2010, held back by Falling house prices are another important risk significant excess capacity. Risks for sustained that could undermine confidence in bank deflation are small, as core inflation and capital bases. At the same time, a number of inflation expectations in most major emerging economies remain quite vulnerable economies are still holding in the 1–2 percent to intensified financial stress, with potential range. In the advanced economies, potential feedback effects on advanced economies. output growth rates have taken a hit, with More generally, if higher unemployment and activity in the housing and financial sectors social discontent were to prompt governments slumping and a need for a reallocation of to introduce trade and financial restrictions and resources toward other sectors. Nonetheless, roll back reforms to other sectors, there would the weakness of demand implies a noticeable be confidence and productivity would suffer. widening of excess capacity that will keep However, there are also some upside risks, inflation close to zero percent in 2009. including a larger-then-expected drop in risk Inflation rates have been marked up by about
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  7 aversion and strongerinternal demand financial institutions where needed, remains of dynamics in some major emerging economies. overarching importance. Forceful and suitably transparent implementation of these steps Strong policy implementation remains key would help rebuild confidence and reaccelerate for a durable recovery. credit growth. While policies still have much work to do in Overall, short-term measures to support dealing with the crisis, there will also be a financial systems need to be consistent with need to increasingly shift from providing long-term objectives to strengthen incentives short-term support to laying the foundations and improve market discipline. Progress with for a return to strong medium-run growth. This respect to the latter will determine the extent to will depend crucially on fostering stronger which the financial sector can effectively potential output growth, particularly in perform its role of allocating savings to advanced economies, and rebalancing global competing projects and thereby sustain demand. Financial, monetary, fiscal, and productivity growth. structural policies all have a role to play in this regard. Monetary and fiscal policy Financial policy Monetary policy should remain supportive until growth resumes and deflationary risks The overarching policy priority remains dissipate. Remaining room to cut policy rates restoring financial sector health. While major should be exploited, while nonconventional progress has been made in restoring bank policy measures to support credit flows should solvency, it is not yet sufficient to stop the continue to be explored. At the same time, exit deleveraging. Accordingly, continued efforts strategies for withdrawal of exceptional to restore financial sector health, deployed in a conventional and nonconventional monetary multilaterally consistent way, will be key policy support should be developed and determinants of the durability of recent explained, so as to contain inflation fears. improvements in financial conditions and the Additionally, it would be helpful to develop strength of the recovery in the real economy. tools to facilitate a smooth unwinding of the In the United States, addressing problem assets significantly expanded central bank balance remains a key priority for putting the financial sheets. sector on a firmer footing. Although many of the largest U.S. banks are again able to raise Rising concerns about fiscal sustainability private capital and, in some cases, to repay underline the need for stronger medium-run government capital, major downside risks fiscal policy frameworks. Although fiscal continue in the banking sector. In the policy should stay supportive through 2010, European Union and elsewhere, authorities are plans should be made for rebuilding fiscal also actively assessing banking system balances and ensuring sustainable debt paths soundness by conducting stress tests. While after growth is firmly reestablished. Relevant good progress has already been made, reforms should aim at strengthening fiscal achieving credible recapitalization together rules and institutions and reducing the buildup with appropriate restructuring or resolution of of future pension and health liabilities.
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  8 Commitments to raisestatutory retirement Turning to the demand side, public demand ages in line with life expectancies and to slow will have to recede and private demand down health services costs through efficiency increase. In countries such as the United improvements could help to achieve the latter States, which posted large current account objective. deficits in the recent past, this may require a shift from internal to external demand. By In the emerging economies, macroeconomic implication, the reverse will be required in policy has to strike a balance between the need countries that posted large current account to support demand and the risk of exacerbating surpluses. capital outflows and undermining fiscal sustainability. To this end, where underlying The extent to which these supply and demand inflationary pressures are easing, central banks side developments will weigh on the recovery should reduce their policy rates cautiously to beyond 2010 depends on many factors. avoid a disorderly adjustment in exchange However, of critical importance will be the rates as well as large capital outflows. success of policies in rebuilding financial Emerging economies also need to assess the sectors in advanced economies and in soundness of their banking systems, especially supporting private consumption in emerging where important segments of the corporate economies with large current account sector are struggling to meet payments, for surpluses. example, because of sharply declining export revenues and loss of external financing. Rebalancing global demand Looking beyond the next year, the crisis is likely, on the supply side, to have reduced the global economy’s sustainable output. Falling investment and widespread bankruptcies are lowering the level and perhaps also the rate of growth of potential output. Moreover, rising cyclical unemployment may translate into higher structural unemployment as workers lose market attachment.