The 海角视频 economy is set for 鈥渟luggish鈥 growth over the next two years and is likely to miss previous forecasts, according to economists. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has downgraded its 海角视频 growth projections for 2024 and 2025, indicating it will witness the weakest growth across the G7 group of major economies next year.
The organisation said in its latest economic outlook report there were 鈥渟ome signs that the global outlook has started to brighten鈥 amid easing inflation. Global gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 3.1% this year, unchanged from 2023.
However, the 海角视频鈥檚 economy is expected to grow at a much slower rate after interest rate rises in order to bring down inflation. The economic organisation said 鈥淕DP growth is projected to remain sluggish鈥 in the face of a 鈥渨aning drag from past monetary tightening鈥.
The economy grew by 0.1% last year and is expected to see growth improve to 0.4% this year, the OECD said. However, it represents a downgrade to forecasts after previously predicting 0.7% growth for 2024.
It also means it is on track to record the second weakest growth across the G7, with only Germany 鈥 which has a growth forecast of 0.2% 鈥 due to see a smaller increase.
On Thursday, the new report also said the economy is on track to grow by around 1% next year. This is slower than projected for Germany and the other G7 nations 鈥 Canada, France, Italy, Japan and the US.
The OECD said higher wages will help consumer spending over the next two years but could contribute to inflationary pressure as the Bank of England continues with efforts to get Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation down to its 2% target rate.
鈥淪tronger real wage growth will support a modest pick-up in private consumption,鈥 the report said. 鈥淗eadline inflation is expected to continue moderating towards target as energy and food prices have eased substantially, but persistent services price pressures will keep core inflation elevated at 3.3% in 2024 and 2.5% in 2025.鈥
It also predicts the Bank of England鈥檚 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will start cutting interest rates 鈥 which currently sit at a 15-year-high of 5.25% 鈥 in the third quarter of this year. 海角视频 interest rates are on track to drop to 3.75% by the end of 2025, it said.
Meanwhile, the 海角视频鈥檚 unemployment rate is expected to rise over the period. The unemployment rate unexpectedly increased to 4.2% for the latest three-month period to February. The OECD said this was due to continue increasing and reach as high as 4.7% in 2025 鈥渁s the labour market cools鈥.
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Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said: 鈥淭his forecast is not particularly surprising given our priority for the last year has been to tackle inflation with higher interest rates.
鈥淏ut, now we are winning that war, growth matters, which is why it is significant that last month the IMF (International Monetary Fund) predicted the 海角视频 will grow faster over the next six years than any European G7 country or Japan. To sustain that we need to stick to our plan 鈥 competitive taxes, a flexible labour market and far-reaching welfare reform.鈥
