IMF chief warns Trump's tariffs could derail fragile global

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.

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