Democracy Dies in Darkness

World Bank warns global economy may suffer 1970s-style stagflation

Risks of further deterioration are mounting

Updated June 7, 2022 at 3:34 p.m. EDT|Published June 7, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. EDT
The World Bank slashed its annual global growth forecast to 2.9 percent on June 7, warning that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has aggravated the global slowdown. (Video: Reuters)
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The global economy may be headed for years of weak growth and rising prices, a toxic combination that will test the stability of dozens of countries still struggling to rebound from the pandemic, the World Bank warned Tuesday.

Not since the 1970s — when twin oil shocks sapped growth and lifted prices, giving rise to the malady known as “stagflation” — has the global economy faced such a challenge.