On productivity, the IMF noted widening discrepancies, as manufacturing activity continues shifting from advanced economies to emerging markets. Industrial production plunged in all countries at the onset of the pandemic. The recovery paths, however, have been decisively different. Production has soared in China and has also expanded in smaller European Union economies and the ASEAN-5 (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand), whereas it has struggled to return to pre-pandemic levels in Japan and the largest EU countries," it added. Meanwhile, the IMF said industrial production in the United States has rebounded more strongly than in other advanced economies. On commodities, the IMF projected fuel prices to fall by 7.9 per cent in 2025, led by a 15.5 per cent drop in oil prices and a 15.8 per cent fall in coal prices. These declines are expected to be partially offset by a 22.8 per cent rise in natural gas prices, driven by colder-than-expected weather and the cessation of Russian gas flows to Europe via Ukraine since January. Non-fuel commodity prices are forecast to increase by 4.4 per cent in 2025. (ICE KUALA LUMPUR)

Fonte notizia: 2 maggio 2025, Kuala Lumpur