Global growth to remain subdued amid lingering uncertainty. Lower inflation and monetary easing offer relief, but trade tensions, high debt burdens, and geopolitical risks cloud the outlook.

The majority of central banks kept their policy rates unchanged in the first quarter of 2024, closely watching the decisions of the United States Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.

The world economy has shown resilience despite multiple shocks, but the outlook remains uncertain due to ongoing conflicts, geopolitical and trade tensions, climate risks, and mounting fiscal pressures.

The Handbook on the Least Developed Country Category contains comprehensive and authoritative information on criteria defining the category, graduation procedures, and international support measures for LDCs. This revised edition reflects recent developments in the LDC category, including refinements to the LDC criteria and the progress of several countries towards graduation from the category.

The global economic outlook as of mid-2025 has deteriorated notably, according to the latest World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) update. Global growth is now forecast to slow to 2.4 per cent in 2025, down from 2.9 per cent in 2024 and 0.4 percentage points below the January forecast.