IMF cuts global growth projection, leaves Canada unchanged

The International Monetary Fund has cut its growth projection for the world this year but left its outlook for Canada unchanged from its earlier estimates in October.

In its revision to the semi-annual World Economic Outlook, the Washington-based lender predicts the global economy will grow by 3.4% in 2016, down from 3.6% in the earlier estimate.

The IMF also cut its global growth projection for 2017 by two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.6%.

It says China’s efforts to change structure from an economy led by exports and infrastructure investment to a consumption-oriented economy are among the factors that will continue to “weigh on growth prospects” this year and next.

The IMF left its growth projection for Canada for this year unchanged at 1.7%, up from estimated growth of 1.2% last year.

But it cuts its Canadian outlook for next year to 2.1%, from the 2.4% projected last fall.

It also cut the outlook for the United States by two-tenths of a point to 2.6% growth both in 2016 and 2017.