Finance ministers defy gloomy IMF message to hit upbeat note

Finance ministers from some of the world’s largest economies refused to have their optimism dented by the gloomy message delivered by top IMF officials at the fund’s spring meetings in Washington this week.

Despite IMF forecasts highlighting the potential for a hard landing for the global economy, Bruno Le Maire, France’s finance minister, said the prospects for his country were “solid”.

Jeremy Hunt, UK chancellor, thought…