The IMF cut U.S. growth estimates for this year by 0.3 points to 1.1%, and slashed the forecast for 2002 by 1.5 points to 0.7%. Meanwhile, for the already sluggish Japan economy, the IMF cut the outlook by 0.1 points to -0.9% this year and chopped 1.5 points from next year's number to -1.3%. The European Union fared better with GDP trimmed only 0.1 to 1.7% in 2001, and by 0.8 points to 1.4% in 2002.