UAE’s Nominal GDP to Grow 4.7 Percent in 2019: IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast the UAE's nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to grow 4.7 per cent to Dh1.673 trillion in 2019, compared to Dh1.589 trillion a year ago.

The GDP growth is reflective of the economic diversification efforts made by the country, according to the Washington-based fund. Driven by remarkable improvement across various economic platforms, including domestic investment and private sector-provided credit, as well as the ongoing momentum in trade relations with major trade partners, and the anticipated high tourist influxes associated with the approaching Expo 2020 Dubai, the UAE economy has survived the slowdown witnessed in 2015-2016.

The growth is also driven by the improvement in average oil prices from $71.9 in 2018 to $72.3 in 2019, according to IMF statistics, which expected a rise in the country's crude output to 3.1 million b/d from 3.00 million b/d in 2018.

The IMF's positive forecasts are based on the three-year stimulus packages initiated by the Federal Government starting this year, with inflation rates kept as low as 1.9 per cent in 2019 - despite the introduction of Value Added Tax last year - in addition to the eight per cent increase in the current account surplus in 2019 against 6.9 per cent in 2018.

{"preview_thumbnail":"https://cdn.flowplayer.com/6684a05f-6468-4ecd-87d5-a748773282a3/i/v-i-b…","video_id":"b24ab7bf-5e84-4976-97cf-8ed007c5ad94","player_id":"8ca46225-42a2-4245-9c20-7850ae937431","provider":"flowplayer","video":"Top 10 Luxury Hotels in the Middle East"}