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World leaders are huddling at the International Monetary Fund's headquarters in Washington as economic winds continue to chill, threatening a return to global uncertainty. The IMF has issued a stark warning that markets appear complacent, despite turbulent trade policies emanating from the White House.
The US economy has benefited from an AI boom, cushioning it against the full effects of shifting trade balances. However, experts warn that this might not last and that markets are "complacent" given the recent policy tumult. The IMF highlights three key risks: overstretched valuations for tech stocks, volatility in government bond markets absorbing fast-growing debts, and concerns over a burgeoning private credit sector.
The shadow bank sector, which has grown since bank regulation was tightened after the 2008 financial crisis, is a particular worry for the IMF. These non-bank financial institutions have piled into lending, and their exposure to loans could unleash global chaos if they start defaulting. US and European banks have $4.5 trillion in exposure to these institutions.
A recent collapse of a car parts supplier and a sub-prime auto lender has raised concerns that more problems may be on the horizon. The Trump administration's relaxed stance on financial regulation is at odds with warnings from veteran policymakers, who fear a "cockroach" effect – where one problem leads to another.
The IMF's global financial stability report was launched during a time of market turmoil, triggered by Donald Trump's warning to China that the US could cut off cooking oil imports. However, Wall Street rallied later in the day.
As policymakers face their own domestic struggles, the IMF is sounding an alarm about the mounting risks on the global backdrop. With debt set to hit its highest level since the post-war era, a crisis would hit a politically fragmented economy that's already stretched. The IMF is urging caution as it warns of a potential "sudden, sharp correction" in markets – and the potential for the AI boom to come to an abrupt end.
The US economy has benefited from an AI boom, cushioning it against the full effects of shifting trade balances. However, experts warn that this might not last and that markets are "complacent" given the recent policy tumult. The IMF highlights three key risks: overstretched valuations for tech stocks, volatility in government bond markets absorbing fast-growing debts, and concerns over a burgeoning private credit sector.
The shadow bank sector, which has grown since bank regulation was tightened after the 2008 financial crisis, is a particular worry for the IMF. These non-bank financial institutions have piled into lending, and their exposure to loans could unleash global chaos if they start defaulting. US and European banks have $4.5 trillion in exposure to these institutions.
A recent collapse of a car parts supplier and a sub-prime auto lender has raised concerns that more problems may be on the horizon. The Trump administration's relaxed stance on financial regulation is at odds with warnings from veteran policymakers, who fear a "cockroach" effect – where one problem leads to another.
The IMF's global financial stability report was launched during a time of market turmoil, triggered by Donald Trump's warning to China that the US could cut off cooking oil imports. However, Wall Street rallied later in the day.
As policymakers face their own domestic struggles, the IMF is sounding an alarm about the mounting risks on the global backdrop. With debt set to hit its highest level since the post-war era, a crisis would hit a politically fragmented economy that's already stretched. The IMF is urging caution as it warns of a potential "sudden, sharp correction" in markets – and the potential for the AI boom to come to an abrupt end.