8 May 2006, 16:53  G10 still upbeat on global economy but no room for complacency

G10 central bankers remain upbeat about the global economy but agree that with oil and commodity prices "very high" and with imbalances remaining, there is "no room for complacency", G10 chairman Jean-Claude Trichet said. Global economic growth is "confirmed, steady, and exceptionally lasting if you look at previous years," despite record oil prices and rising interest rates, Trichet said after a meeting of the central bankers' group at the Bank of International Settlements here. However, with oil and commodity prices "very high historically", there are elements which call for "very special attention, including in terms of inflationary risks." Central bankers agreed that inflationary risks need "great attention", and that perhaps disinflationary pressures are becoming "less intense". "We all considered that we had to look at the inflationary risks with great attention... After an episode of very strong disinflationary pressure at a global level, perhaps we (are) in a universe where these disinflationary pressures were less intense than they had been before," Trichet said. Trichet, who is also president of the European Central Bank, said that with the economies of Japan and the euro zone improving, the global economy is becoming "more balanced". Central bankers have not yet noticed any second round effects from higher oil prices, Trichet also said. "But we all concluded that it is very important to prevent the materialisation of second round effects, because by the time they appear, it is already too late," he added.

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