Record high oil prices over a barrel are slowing world economic growth, John Lipsky, first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said on Monday. ”It’s dampening growth — that’s for sure, but of course it is benefiting exporters,” he said. ”It’s going to slow growth as we’ve said before. It’s one of the many factors this year.”
United States President George Bush will outline reforms on Friday to help struggling subprime mortgage borrowers and his central bank chief will deliver a speech which will be pored over for hints of a looming rate cut. Federal Reserve chairperson Ben Bernanke speaks on ”Housing and Monetary Policy” at around 2pm GMT.