Throughout its history, the IMF has not been known as an institution of inflation hawks. But just recently, the organization has issued an alert on the risk of inflation that could be more than just transitory. Silvia Amaro reports at CNBC:
The International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday that there’s a risk inflation will prove to be more than just transitory, pushing central banks to take pre-emptive action.
The issue is currently dividing the investment community, which has been busy contemplating whether a recent surge in consumer prices is here to stay. In the U.S., the consumer price index came in at 5.4% in June — the fastest pace in almost 13 years. In the U.K., the inflation rate reached 2.5% in June — the highest level since August 2018 and above the Bank of England’s target of 2%.
For the most part, the Washington-based institution sees these price pressures as transitory. “Inflation is expected to return to its pre-pandemic ranges in most countries in 2022,” the Fund said in its latest World Economic Outlook update released Tuesday.
However, it warned that “uncertainty remains high.”
“There is however a risk that transitory pressures could become more persistent and central banks may need to take preemptive action,” the IMF said.
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