In the outlook period, the total size of global imbalances, relative to WGP, is projected to remain fairly constant. From a global perspective, the magnitude of current-account imbalances does not appear to pose an imminent threat to the stability of the world economy. Nonetheless, there are important problems associated with the current pattern of imbalances and the ongoing adjustment processes. On the one hand, Europe’s shift from a current-account deficit prior to the global financial crisis to a significant surplus in recent years has largely been the result of weak internal demand. This reflects deep recession in the euro area’s peripheral economies, and a heavy reliance by northern countries, including Germany, on exports for growth. Due to a lack of investment at home, the region has become the world’s largest capital exporter. This is exerting a considerable deflationary impact on the world economy at a time when global demand is still slacking. On the other hand, the ongoing high current-account deficits in some large emerging
economies, such as Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa and Turkey, remain a concern, particularly in light of fickle short-term international capital flows and an upcoming normalization of United States monetary policy. A sudden change in market sentiment, similar to the experience of mid-2013, could trigger a painful adjustment process in the countries with large external deficits, through tighter monetary conditions and weaker aggregate demand.