International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva issued a stark warning on Thursday, cautioning that the latest tariff measures announced by US President Donald Trump could deepen economic uncertainty and threaten global growth.
"We are still assessing the macroeconomic implications of the announced tariff measures, but they clearly represent a significant risk to the global outlook at a time of sluggish growth," Georgieva said in a statement. She called on the United States and its trade partners to work constructively to resolve rising trade tensions and reduce uncertainty in an already fragile economic environment.
On Wednesday, President Trump announced a new set of reciprocal tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% on imports from several trade partners. Under the new measures, the US will impose a 20% tariff on European Union goods, 34% on Chinese imports, 46% on Vietnamese products, 32% on Taiwanese exports, 24% on Japanese goods, 26% on Indian products, 25% on South Korean exports, 36% on Thai goods, 31% on Swiss products, 32% on Indonesian imports, 24% on Malaysian goods, 49% on Cambodian products, 30% on exports from South Africa and Bangladesh, and 17% on Israeli goods.
The IMF’s warning comes amid growing global concerns that heightened trade barriers could disrupt international trade flows, dampen investor confidence, and potentially trigger a broader economic slowdown. Georgieva added that the IMF is in the process of analyzing the broader effects of these measures and that the results will be detailed in the upcoming World Economic Outlook report, scheduled for release during the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings later this month.
As global markets brace for further volatility, economists and policymakers alike stress the need for collaborative efforts to mitigate the risks posed by the escalating trade tensions.
Read next
16:30
IMF
IMF and World Bank meetings in Washington left global finance leaders with more questions than answers on the economic impact of U.S. tariffs. Discussions on trade and debt concerns highlighted growing uncertainty, as markets worry about the broader economic fallout.
17:54
Trump Tariffs
The IMF has lowered global and U.S. economic growth forecasts, citing Trump-era tariffs and rising uncertainty. Global growth is expected at 2.8% this year, while U.S. growth may slow to 1.8%, with heightened recession and inflation risks.
09:10
International financial leaders will discuss ways to restore aid to Syria during next week’s IMF and World Bank meetings.
11:57
Argentina - IMF
rgentina sealed a $20 billion, 48-month Extended Fund Facility deal with the International Monetary Fund on Friday and, in a major policy move ahead of the deal, dismantled key parts of its years-long currency controls and loosened its grip on the peso.
10:44
Argentina - IMF
Since joining in 1956, Argentina has become the IMF’s biggest debtor. On Friday, it secured a new $20B deal—its 23rd program. The first dates back to 1958 with a $75M loan. In total, Argentina has received $177B from the IMF to fight inflation and repeated economic crises.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment