The International Monetary Fund raises its growth estimates for the Italian economy, while emphasizing that the result remains "significantly below its potential" and brings up the rear of the Eurozone.
Based on IMF forecasts, Italy will grow by 0,8% in 2017 (compared to +1,1% estimated in the Def) and by the same percentage in 2018 (+1% in the Def). This is what can be read in the tables of the World Economic Outlook, the report on the global economy of the IMF drawn up in the context of the Spring Meetings underway in Washington, United States.
Under the "potential" together with Italy there are also France, Portugal, Spain and above all Greece. Estimates for our country for the current year have been raised by 0,1% compared to the update of the WEO last January but are lower by 0,1% compared to the edition of the document prepared last October. In 2016 Rome had recorded an expansion of 0,9% and the previous year of 0,8%, recalls the IMF. The Fund's forecast for 2018 remained unchanged from its year-to-date calculations but is 0,3% worse than its fall 2016 forecast.
As regards the prospects for 2022, the Fund expects an Italian GDP up by 0,8% (for the estimates related to the 2019-2021 period, we have to wait for the publication of the Fiscal Monitor, scheduled for tomorrow).
Speaking instead of consumer prices, the Washington institute forecasts a percentage of 2017% in 2018 and 1,3 against -0,1% in 2016. The current account is seen at 2% of GDP in 2017 and to 1,8% in 2018 against 2,7% in 2016. The Fund explains that its estimates "are based on the tax plans included in the budget law for 2017 and the Economic and Financial Document (Def) of September 2016”.
