Bangkok, Thailand - The IMF released two flagship reports on the global economy and financial markets. In the first report, the World Economic Outlook, the IMF maintained its last April 2026 global economy growth forecast of 3.1% and slightly upgraded the forecast for next year to 3.4%.
“In spite of growing threats to the economy from the report, the IMF gives rosy future economic growth projections.” said Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of the religious development group Jubilee USA Network and a United Nations finance expert who monitored IMF meetings since 2010. "The actual data from the report is quite concerning."
The rate of growth remains “lackluster” by historical standards, according to the report. The IMF finds that income gaps will widen. It notes that if artificial intelligence expectations are not positive, investments and financial markets could significantly worsen.
"The expectation reported that AI will keep the economy afloat is unrealistic," added LeCompte. "If AI fails to strengthen the economy and help developing countries, the crises facing most of the world become worse."
The companion report or Global Financial Stability Report underscores artificial intelligence investment risks, alongside country debt challenges and cyber threats, as the most serious threats to financial market stability.
"The report asserts that if expectations on economic growth from artificial intelligence are too optimistic, financial markets will be hurt and access to loans and aid for developing countries will be a casualty,” shared LeCompte.
Addressing the ongoing sovereign debt market turmoil, the report says that the increasing rates that investors charge governments to borrow are a major risk to the current economy and could translate into higher debts for countries.
"High debts plus increasing inflation and food and fuel prices translate to real economic challenges that most of us are experiencing," explained LeCompte.
Read the full World Economic Outlook Report here.
Read the full Global Financial Stability Report here.
Read Jubilee USA's press release on the opening of IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings here.
Read Jubilee USA's press release on IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva's curtain-raiser speech here.
Read Jubilee USA Petition for IMF Support to Fight Ebola here.
Read more about Jubilee's Annual Meetings events here.