Separately, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected growth of 2.5% in 2023, lower than its November projection of 2.7% expansion, but saw 2024 growth at 4.4%, above the 3.6% forecast in November. "Growth is projected to accelerate briefly in 2024, on account of improvements in external demand and robust growth in private consumption bolstered by the government's fiscal stimulus," it said in a Jan. 22 statement