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World Economic Outlook (WEO) Legacies, Clouds, Uncertainties

IMF (2014) “World Economic Outlook (WEO) Legacies, Clouds, Uncertainties“, International Monetary Fund Publications, Οκτώβριος.

 

Chapter 3: Is It Time for an Infrastructure Push? Τhe Macroeconomic Effects of Public Investment

This chapter finds that increased public infrastructure investment raises output in both the short and long term, particularly during periods of economic slack and when investment efficiency is high. This suggests that in countries with infrastructure needs, the time is right for an infrastructure push: borrowing costs are low and demand is weak in advanced economies, and there are infrastructure bottlenecks in many emerging market and developing economies. Debt-financed projects could have large output effects without increasing the debt-to-GDP ratio, if clearly identified infrastructure needs are met through efficient investment.

Chapter 4: Are Global Imbalances at a Turning Point?

Global current account (“flow”) imbalances have narrowed significantly since their peak in 2006, and their configuration has changed markedly in the process. The imbalances that used to be the main concern—the large deficit in the United States and surpluses in China and Japan—have more than halved. But some surpluses, especially those in some European economies and oil exporters, remain large, and those in some advanced commodity exporters and major emerging market economies have since moved to deficit. This chapter argues that the reduction of large flow imbalances has diminished systemic risks to the global economy. Nevertheless, two concerns remain.

 

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