Regional divergence to widen on back of Ukraine war

The spillovers from the war in Ukraine will further drive divergence in economic growth across the Middle East and North Africa. The Gulf economies stand to benefit as oil production is likely to be raised more quickly which, combined with higher oil prices, will probably prompt some governments to loosen fiscal policy. Outside the Gulf, however, higher commodity prices will push up inflation and policymakers will probably have to step up fiscal consolidation efforts. Commodities Drop-In (24 March, 11:00 EDT/15:00 GMT): Our Commodities team will be exploring how the war in Ukraine is shaking up commodity markets, from oil to wheat, while tackling some of the big market questions – not least whether we’re in for 1970s-style oil supply shocks. Register here.