The IMF said it remains highly vigilant to the economic fallout from the Middle
East war and warned that even if the US and Iran have agreed to reopen the
Strait of Hormuz, restoring energy supplies will take time. Managing Director
Kristalina Georgieva wrote that commodity prices, inf and expectations, and
financial conditions have been affected, though not yet to a degree that signals
a global slowdown. She said recent energy shortfalls have been partially offset
by a technology investment cycle—notably AI and data centers—benefiting the US
and some Asian economies with rapid tech export growth. Most countries, however,
have yet to see productivity or growth gains from these technologies, raising
the risk of further global economic divergence.
