As international authorities attempt to stop the outbreak in China from becoming a pandemic, finance leaders at the G20 meeting in Saudi Arabia this weekend are set to discuss risks to the global economy. “COVID-19 anxiety has risen to a new level amid concerns of virus outbreaks in Beijing and outside of China,” National Australia Bank Ltd senior foreign-exchange strategist Rodrigo Catril said. “If we give in to blind self-confidence, the epidemic could rebound and the virus exploit us when we are off guard,” the People’s Daily said. As G20 finance ministers prepare to meet, the IMF said it was too early to tell what impact the virus would have on global growth. “We are still hoping that the impact will be a V-shaped curve” with a sharp decline in China and sharp rebound after the containment of the virus, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said.

Source: Taipei Times February 21, 2020 15:56 UTC