Growth prospects have weakened throughout the world economy. Global growth for 2016 is projected at 2.4
percent, unchanged from the disappointing pace of 2015, and 0.5 percentage point below the January forecast.
Emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) are facing stronger headwinds, including weaker growth
among advanced economies and persistently low commodity prices, as well as lackluster global trade and capital
flows. Divergences between commodity exporters and importers persist. Conditions remain markedly challenging
for commodity exporters, which continue to struggle to adjust to the new era of depressed prices. In contrast,
commodity importers are showing greater resilience to headwinds, although the expected growth windfall from
low energy prices has been surprisingly modest. Global growth is projected to pick up slowly to 3.0 percent by
2018, as stabilizing commodity prices provide support to commodity exporting EMDEs. Downside risks have
become more pronounced. These include deteriorating conditions among key commodity exporters, softer-than-
expected activity in advanced economies, rising private sector debt in some large emerging markets, and
heightened policy and geopolitical uncertainties. While policy space for monetary and fiscal stimulus is narrow,
structural reforms could boost growth both in the short and the long term