The context in which the forecast is set includes the following features. The World economy is expected to continue growing strongly in 2006 and 2007, with growth rates of per cent and per cent forecast. All the major economies will contribute to this performance. For example, the United States is forecast to grow by 3 per cent in both 2006 and 2007, Japan is forecast to grow by per cent in 2006 and per cent 2007 while the corresponding figures for China are per cent and per cent. .
