Global economic growth is slowing more than was forecast a few months ago in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as energy and inflation crises risk snowballing into recessions in major economies, the OECD says.

Global growth this year was still expected at 3.0 per cent, but it is now projected to slow to 2.2 per cent in 2023, revised down from a forecast in June of 2.8 per cent, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said on Monday.

The Paris-based policy forum was particularly pessimistic about the outlook in Europe – the most directly exposed economy to the fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Global output next year is now projected to be $US2.8 trillion ($4.3 trillion) lower than what the OECD forecast before Russia attacked Ukraine – a loss of income worldwide equivalent in size to the French economy.

We expect an extended slowdown with GDP growth stalling in many economies.

Curbing inflation, addressing the energy crisis and keeping food affordable are key challenges we need to address.https://t.co/9qvPBWQSPA 
# EconomicOutlook@OECD @santospereira_a

— Mathias Cormann (@MathiasCormann) September 26, 2022

“The global economy has lost momentum in the wake of Russia’s unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. GDP growth has stalled in many economies and economic indicators point to an extended slowdown,” OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said in a statement.

The OECD projected euro zone economic growth would slow from 3.1 per cent this year to only 0.3 per cent in 2023, which implies the 19-nation shared currency bloc would spend at least part of the year in a recession, defined as two straight quarters of contraction.

That marked a dramatic downgrade from the OECD’s last economic outlook in June, when it had forecast the euro zone’s economy would grow 1.6 per cent next year.

The OECD was particularly gloomy about Germany’s Russian-gas dependent economy, forecasting it would contract 0.7 per cent next year, slashed from a June estimate for 1.7 per cent growth.

G20 inflation has continued to rise – from 3.8% in 2021 to 8.2% in 2022.

It is expected to fall back in 2023 but it will remain high (6.6%) and well above central bank targets across G20 economies. #EconomicOutlook #OECD

Read more here➡ https://t.co/K6srSGX7tI pic.twitter.com/BeLCKVpCm9

— OECD Economics (@OECDeconomy) September 26, 2022

The OECD warned that further disruptions to energy supplies would hit growth and boost inflation, especially in Europe where they could knock activity back another 1.25 percentage points and boost inflation by 1.5 percentage points, pushing many countries into recession for the full year of 2023.

Though far less dependent on imported energy than Europe, the United States was seen skidding into a downturn as the US Federal Reserve jacks up interest rates to get a handle on inflation.

The OECD forecast that the world’s biggest economy would slow from 1.5 per cent growth this year to only 0.5 per cent next year, down from June forecasts for 2.5 per cent in 2022 and 1.2 per cent in 2023.

Meanwhile, China’s strict measures to control the spread of COVID-19 this year meant that its economy was set to grow only 3.2 per cent this year and 4.7 per cent next year, whereas the OECD had previously expected 4.4 per cent in 2022 and 4.9 per cent in 2023.

-Reuters