IMF cuts 2018 growth forecast to 2 pct

The International Monetary Fund has undercut the official forecast for 2.5 percent growth this year, speaking of just 2 percent in its World Economic Outlook, curtailing the government's hopes for a swift recovery. It also slashed the official estimate for 2.5 percent in 2019 to just 1.8 percent.

These forecasts come just ahead of Thursday's Spring Meeting of the IMF, with very low expectations for decisions on measures to ease the Greek debt - to allow the Fund's participation in the Greek program.

The IMF further projects a 0.8 percent current account deficit for this year, against a previous forecast of just 0.1 percent, while inflation is seen at 0.7 percent in 2018 (from 1.3 percent previously) and 1.1 percent in 2019.

What could amount to a major problem for Greece, given the new forecasts, is the possibility that the IMF will insist on bringing forward the...