Israel-Hamas conflict a new cloud among many: IMF chief

The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday said the war between Israel and Hamas was another cloud on a horizon with plenty of them, warning that the global economic outlook could worsen. “What we see is more jitters in what has already been an anxious world,” Kristalina Georgieva told an audience at the FII investment conference in Riyadh. “And on a horizon that had plenty of clouds, one more - and it can get deeper.” Dubbed “Davos in the desert”, the conference has drawn senior finance industry figures, many of whom have already struck a pessimistic tone about the global economy. An event traditionally focused on cutting deals has been overshadowed by Israel’s intensifying bombardment of Gaza, following an attack by Hamas inside Israel. On Tuesday, JPMorgan Chase boss Jamie Dimon encouraged Saudi Arabia not to abandon a United States-led initiative to establish official relations with Israel.