Top Five IMF Blog Charts of 2025

IMF Blog, December 22, 2025

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Chart of the Week visuals illustrate major developments during a year of uncertainty and resilience.
Author: Andrew Stanley
Date: December 22, 2025
Purpose: The blog’s Chart of the Week series tracked how the global economy evolved in 2025, with the top five charts highlighting some of the key issues shaping economic and policy discussions.

Economic sentiment endured despite elevated uncertainty.
Public debt climbed at a faster pace across many of the world’s economies.
Growing demand AI places on our energy systems.
Widening gap between poorer countries, fragile states, and more advanced economies.
Foreign direct investment reaching a record, underscoring the scale of cross-border investment even amid a challenging global environment.

The visuals offer a snapshot of how global economic conditions evolved over the year and where some pressures are becoming more pronounced.
The combination of resilient economic sentiment and rising public debt points to trade-offs for policymakers managing growth and fiscal sustainability.
Increased energy demand driven by AI expansion highlights potential stress on energy systems and the need to align energy and climate policies with digitalization trends.
The widening divergence between poorer countries, fragile states, and advanced economies signals risks for global inclusive growth and may call for targeted international support.
Record foreign direct investment underscores continued cross-border capital flows despite global challenges, with implications for investment policy and external financing strategies.

Source: Top Five IMF Blog Charts of 2025 — Andrew Stanley, December 22, 2025.