IMF: Global Economy Recovering From Coronavirus

WASHINGTON - The global economy is recovering faster than expected from the coronavirus pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Tuesday.

The IMF said the world economy is now expected to grow by 6% this year and advance another 4.4% in 2022, sharp increases from the 3.3% decline last year during the worst months of the pandemic that spread across the globe after originating in China in late 2019. Chief IMF economist Gita Gopinath said in Washington that the improved economic outlook “reflects the additional fiscal support provided in the United States, vaccination efforts that are going to lead to a strengthening of recovery in the second half of this year, and also the continued resilience of economic activity to the pandemic in many parts of the world.” The U.S. reported last week it added 916,000 more jobs in March. On Tuesday, the Labor Department said U.S. job openings rose to a two-year high in February, 5.1% above their pre-pandemic level.