WorldPosted at: Jun 12 2026 4:43PM


World Bank lowers global growth projections to weakest level since COVID-19 amid West Asia conflict

Washington, June 12 (UNI) The World Bank has lowered its global growth forecast to its weakest level since the Covid-19 pandemic, warning that the economic fallout from the conflict in West Asia is spreading well beyond the region and putting additional pressure on countries around the world.
In its latest Global Economic Prospects report released on Thursday, the global lender projected world economic growth of 2.5 per cent in 2026, down from 2.9 pc a year earlier. Global inflation is expected to average 4 pc, reflecting continued price pressures across many economies.
The downgrade comes as rising energy costs linked to the US-Israeli war with Iran continue to ripple through global markets, with higher energy prices leading to surging inflation, as well as increasing the risk of central banks keeping interest rates elevated for longer periods of time, or otherwise tightening their monetary policies for further containment of price growth.
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