Yorkshire Post

Leaders of seven nations to discuss recession threat to world economy

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LEADERS OF the seven richest democracie­s are to host discussion­s today in the wake of warnings over the impact of coronaviru­s on teetering economies.

French President Emmanuel Macron has revealed that leaders from the US, Britain, Italy, Japan, Germany and Canada are to join a telephone conference.

And while action is being taken in efforts to stabilise economies, there are concerns from experts that current efforts are being undertaken without coordinati­on or consultati­on.

The world economy is increasing­ly looking as though it will fall into recession, amid beliefs Europe and Japan are almost certain to see a big contractio­n in the first half of this year. The US is facing a steep slowdown and China’s growth is forecast as low as one per cent at the start of the year, the weakest in decades, from six per cent previously.

A “piecemeal” approach has caused concern among former policymake­rs who dealt with previous crises, including ex-ECB chief Jean-Claude Trichet.

He told the BBC that it “is absolutely appalling that the US took a decision to stop people coming in without any warning or any discussion with the Europeans”.

He added: “I think that it is

Former Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, without precedent and it is an illustrati­on of the drama where we are.

“We need a global response. We need the market to understand that there is some kind of global co-ordination.”

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said that one of the reasons that the global economy recovered 10 years ago was because of “internatio­nal co-operation”.

“We all did the same thing,” he said. “Internatio­nal co-operation at the moment is in something of short supply.”

Internatio­nal co-operation is in something of short supply

 ?? PICTURES: AP ?? QUIET STREETS: A woman stands in the main square in Lille, top - all restaurant­s, cafes, cinemas and non-essential shops in France have closed; the Colosseum, in Rome, left; police officers in Barcelona, right – restaurant­s in Spain have shut as part of a state of emergency.
PICTURES: AP QUIET STREETS: A woman stands in the main square in Lille, top - all restaurant­s, cafes, cinemas and non-essential shops in France have closed; the Colosseum, in Rome, left; police officers in Barcelona, right – restaurant­s in Spain have shut as part of a state of emergency.

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