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Global growth broadly unchanged amid persistent services inflation
Global activity and world trade firmed up at the turn of the year, with trade spurred by strong exports from Asia, particularly in the technology sector. Relative to the April 2024 WEO, first quarter growth surprised on the upside in many countries, although downside surprises in Japan and the United States were notable. In the United States, after a sustained period of strong outperformance, a sharper-than-expected slowdown in growth reflected moderating consumption and a negative contribution from net trade. In Japan, the negative growth surprise stemmed from temporary supply disruptions linked to the shutdown of a ... (full story)