OECD slashes US 2015 growth forecast to 2

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)​ has reduced its growth forecast for the US economy in 2015.

It expects a two per cent growth this year, down from its November forecast of 3.1 per cent. It also anticipates a 2.8 per cent growth for the world's largest economy in 2016, instead of three per cent. The revised figure is due to "transitory disruptions", including a strong dollar and bad weather early in the year, the OECD said.

China also had its growth forecast revised downward, to​ 6.8 per cent this year rather than 7.1 per cent. However, the eurozone economy is now expected to grow faster (1.4 per cent in 2015 instead of 1.1 per cent) thanks to monetary easting measures by the European Central Bank.

The OECD cut its global growth forecasts for both this year and next, expecting the world economy to grow 3.1 per cent this year and 3.8 per cent in 2016, down from 3.6 per cent and 3.9 per cent growth respectively in its previous forecast.

More investment needed

It said the recovery in the last seven years has been unusually weak, hampering job creation, putting living standards on hold and increasing inequality.

"The global economy is expected to strengthen, but the pace of recovery remains weak and investment has yet to take off," OECD secretary-general Angel Gurria said.

"By and large, firms have been unwilling to spend on plant, equipment, technology and services as vigorously as they have done in previous cyclical recoveries."

The OECD said the gross domestic product of its 34 members will rise 1.9 per cent in 2015 and 2.5 per cent in 2016.

To speed up the global recovery, the OECD recommends that both businesses and government invest more. It conceded that many of the solutions are already in place, particularly loose monetary policy in major economies, adding that in Japan and the eurozone, central banks should continue with their quantitative easing programs as planned. And in the U.S., the Federal Reserve should carry out a gradual increase in rates, it concluded.