IMF warns protectionism and monetary tightening to hurt emerging markets

Emerging economies are set to slow this year as the U.S. Federal Reserve begins raising interest rates and there's a rising protectionist rhetoric in advanced economies , the International Monetary Fund warned on Monday. While emerging and developing markets have benefited from rising commodity prices and capital inflows in the post-2000 period, the recovery from the North Atlantic financial crisis and China's attempts to re-balance its economy have reduced growth among commodity exporters. Now, rising protectionist rhetoric and the expected tightening of financial conditions pose new threats to emerging markets, the IMF noted in its World Economic Outlook report.