IMF chief worried about middle-income countries with weaker fundamentals

The head of the International Monetary Fund on Wednesday said she would discuss with IMF members whether they back expanding low- and no-interest financing beyond the poorest countries to include middle-income countries hit hard by the pandemic. Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said she was concerned about tourism-dependent and other middle income countries that had weaker fundamentals and high-debt levels, but the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust can currently only lend to the poorest countries.

The Group of 20 IMF's major economies on Wednesday backed a $650 billion expansion of the emergency reserves, or Special Drawing Rights, which Georgieva said would provide an important confidence-boost to countries that need help.