IMF's Lagarde: Global economy outlook 'worrisome' (by William L. Watts)
FRANKFURT (MarketWatch) -- International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde said Friday that the global economic slowdown has "become more worrisome," underlining the need for a coordinated response. Speaking in Tokyo, Lagarde said: "Many indicators of economic activity -- investment, employment, manufacturing -- have deteriorated. And not just in Europe or the United States. Also in key emerging markets: Brazil, China, India." The remarks come a day after central banks in China, the euro zone and the U.K. moved to ease monetary policy. Lagarde said the IMF will downgrade its forecast for global economic growth of 3.5% in 2012 when it releases an update later this month. Lagarde said the interconnected nature of the global economy means solutions to the European debt crisis and other threats to growth must be "grounded in cooperation." Achieving lasting stability and growth "will require coordinated action to break the main chains of this crisis: weak sovereigns, weak banks, and weak growth," she said.