Updated at 13:53,23-12-2024

IMF downgrades Belarus economy forecast

Euroradio

The International Monetary Fund has worsened its forecast of the Belarusian GPD evolution.

The Belarusian GDP is expected to decrease by 2.7% in 2016, the IMF announced in its April report World Economic Outlook Update. IMF expected the Belarusian GDP to decrease by 2.2% in October 2015.

The inflation rate forecast has also changed. It is expected to reach 14.5% instead of 12.3%, BelaPAN reports.

The unemployment rate will reach 2%, the IMF predicts. It will increase to 2.5% in 2017. By the way, the index totalled 1% in 2015.

The official Belarusian authorities predict the GDP to increase by 0.3% in 2016. However, the index went down by 4% in January and February 2016, Belstat reports.