Firmer footing: IMF boosts economic outlook, warns of divergence

The IMF’s chief economist urged governments to continue fiscal support and ensure that vaccines are available to all.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday upgraded its global growth projections, forecasting a 6 percent rebound in the world economy in 2021 and 4.4 percent in 2022, while also warning that recoveries are at risk of diverging dangerously. “The pandemic is yet to be defeated, and virus cases are accelerating in many countries,” IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath said at a virtual conference introducing the April 2021 World Economic Outlook. The IMF and World Bank kicked off their annual spring meetings on Tuesday.