Yellen talks down recession fears, expects US economy to grow

WASHINGTON: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expects the world’s biggest economy will continue to grow, despite heightened recession concerns following recent turmoil in the banking sector.

“I continue to anticipate that the US economy will grow, and the labor market will remain strong, and inflation will come down,” Yellen told AFP in an interview Thursday.

The World Bank’s ongoing reform could result in a $50 billion lending boost over the next decade, Yellen said ahead of stakeholders’ meetings next week where key changes are expected to be announced.

Central bankers, finance ministers and participants from more than 180 member countries are expected to gather in the US capital for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s spring meetings in the coming week.

A key topic of discussion will be the World Bank’s evolution, amid a push for lenders to revamp and meet global challenges like climate change. The United States is the largest shareholder of the World Bank Group.

“I expect there to be an update of the bank’s mission to add building resilience against climate change, pandemics, and conflict and fragility to the core goals,” Yellen said in the interview with AFP Thursday.

She added that there needs to be a recognition that these challenges aren’t separate or conflicting but rather, inextricably linked.

“Second, there will be an announcement that the bank is stretching its financial capacity to meet these objectives, and adopting changes or endorsing changes that could result in an additional $50 billion in extra lending capacity over the next decade,” Yellen said.

The move would be a significant resource boost marking a 20 percent rise in the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (IBRD) sustainable lending level. The IBRD is the World Bank’s middle-income lending arm.