The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday it forecasts world economic growth to rise by 0.1 point to 3.5% for 2017, with growth for the United States unchanged at 2.3% and that for Japan up 0.4 percentage points from its estimate in January to 1.2%. The IMF's growth estimate for China, the world's second-largest economy, was up 0.1 point to 6.6%. "Global growth is projected to increase from an estimated 3.1% in 2016 to 3.5% in 2017 and 3.6% in 2018." "US fiscal policy still seems likely to turn more expansionary over the next couple of years," Mr Obstfeld said. Britain's economy, however, is likely to expand 2.0 percent in 2017, up 0.5 point, and 1.5 percent in 2018, up 0.1 point, against an estimated 1.8 percent in 2016.

Source: Bangkok Post April 18, 2017 13:52 UTC