| Global Current Account Balances Widen, Reversing Narrowing Trend
July 22, 2025--Growing imbalances in largest economies underscore need for concerted adjustment in domestic macroeconomic policies |
| When adjusted to account for the volatility around the pandemic and Russia's war in Ukraine,, the widening is a notable reversal of the narrowing since the global financial crisis and may signal a significant structural shift. Our just released 2025 External Sector Report (ESR) presents the latest assessment of these imbalances for the 30 largest economies, representing about 90 percent of world output. This assessment constitutes a key part of the IMF's mandate to encourage the balanced expansion of trade and economic growth and promote international monetary cooperation. |
| Goods trade growth set to moderate as barometer index dips November 28, 2025-Goods trade growth appears to have slowed in the second half of 2025 following a surge in the first half driven by frontloading of imports ahead of expected tariff hikes and by rising demand for AI-related products, according to the latest WTO Goods Trade Barometer. |