This paper reviews key findings of the IMF’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1961. The report highlights that in contrast to the year 1959, when virtually all countries participated in worldwide expansion, the year 1960 and the early part of 1961 presented a less unified picture. Rapid growth continued in most of the European industrial countries and in Japan, but in the United States and Canada, a slackening of activity was evident. The volume of exports of the primary producing countries also increased.

This paper reviews key findings of the IMF’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1962. The report highlights that the year 1961 was one of general expansion in the industrial countries. In the United States and Canada, industrial production and real national product resumed their upward course during the spring of 1961, following the mild recession of 1960. Expansion continued in Europe and Japan, although at a slower rate than in the earlier year, as production approached the limits of the available supplies of labor.

This paper reviews key findings of the IMF’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1963. The report highlights that during the course of 1962, economic activity continued to expand in most industrial countries. In the United States, there was some slowdown in production, but final purchases rose almost as much as during 1961, and a revival of activity set in during the early part of 1963. In continental Europe, a climate of general prosperity continued to prevail.

This paper reviews key findings of the IMF’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1966. The report highlights that the year 1965 was characterized by substantial, although somewhat uneven, growth in the world economy. For the first time in many years, the rise in industrial output in the United States and Canada was markedly higher than in the other industrial countries, where, in the first half of the year, economic progress was generally rather slow. However, after midyear, economic activity accelerated both in the United States and in the European area.

This paper reviews key findings of the IMF’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1971. The report highlights that the performance of the world economy during 1970 and the first part of 1971 was less than satisfactory in certain major respects. Performance was heavily dominated by developments in the larger industrial countries. The expansion of total world output proceeded at a slow and irregular pace, primarily because of the 1969–70 recession and ensuing moderate pickup of economic activity in the United States.

This paper reviews the IMF’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1984. The report highlights that the performance of the world economy in 1983 and the early part of 1984 was significantly better than in the preceding several years. Economic expansion proceeded vigorously in the United States and Canada, and showed signs of spreading to other countries in the industrial world. Price inflation receded further in the seven largest industrial countries, dropping to its lowest level in 15 years. The current account deficit of developing countries was further reduced.