Finance chiefs from around the world wrapped up talks this week resigned to the reality that trade tensions, geopolitical mistrust and the euphoria over the US-led boom in artificial intelligence all pose increasingly entrenched risks to the global economy.
In Washington, where a partisan standoff closed the government into a third week, the mood at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund was a mix of relief that US President Donald Trump’s tariffs hadn’t caused a deeper slowdown and dread that the fallout was only just beginning to lift prices, squeeze profits and delay investments.