The International Monetary Fund said Asian central banks generally have room to lower interest rates to support domestic demand and offset the impact of the escalating global trade war, with the region in much stronger shape than before the Asian financial crisis.

Many Asian central banks have room to ease monetary policy to cushion the blow to their economies from U.S. tariffs, a senior International Monetary Fund official said on Thursday, after the fund cut its GDP estimates for the export-driven region.

The head of the International Monetary Fund downplayed its work related to climate change after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for the lender to return to its core focus as economic stabilizer.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's criticism of the International Monetary Fund raised "a number of important issues" to grapple with, the head of the Washington-based institution said Thursday."He raised a number of important issues and priorities for the institution that I look forward to discussing with the US authorities and the membership as a whole,

IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva stated on Thursday that the Fund will implement Washington's suggestions regarding its policy. The day before, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had criticised the IMF and the World Bank,

Higher tariffs and heightened geopolitical tensions may push government debts to new highs over the coming years, making the need for policymakers to outline robust plans for containing the surge more pressing,

The International Monetary Fund warned that global public borrowing will likely surge this year as trade tensions triggered by the US lead to slower economic growth and more volatility on financial markets.