IMF Raises 2026 Growth Forecasts for Netherlands and Ghana

The International Monetary Fund raised its 2026 economic growth forecasts for both the Netherlands and Ghana during its annual meetings in Bangkok. For the Netherlands, the IMF increased its projection to 1.5%, up from a July estimate of 1%, and expects growth to continue at 1.3% in 2027. This revision is driven by a recovery in Germany and a global investment boom in artificial intelligence that benefits Dutch chipmaker ASML.

In Ghana, the IMF raised its 2026 growth forecast to 5.7%, up from 4.6%, attributing the rise to fiscal discipline, targeted spending, and strong gold export earnings. The IMF also projected that Ghana's year-end inflation will drop to 4.8%, significantly lower than its April forecast of 7.9%. While the World Bank maintained a more conservative growth forecast for Ghana at 4.8%, the IMF's optimism aligns with recent credit rating upgrades from Moody's and Standard & Poor's.

Despite these gains, the IMF warned that inflation in the Netherlands will remain high at 2.9% due to energy and fuel price spikes caused by the war in Iran. Globally, the IMF projects growth of 3.1% this year and 3.4% next year, noting that the global economy has remained resilient by sourcing energy from alternative suppliers.