Lagarde says IMF almost certain to cut 2012 growth forecast

The International Monetary Fund is almost certain to cut its world growth forecast, from the 4.0 percent estimated in September, due to the eurozone debt crisis, its chief Christine Lagarde said Wednesday.

"I am almost certain... that the forecasts will be revised down" in January, Lagarde told the Niger National Assembly, saying that "clouds building up, especially over Europe, mean we have to lower our outlook".

"The immediate danger is simple," she said, repeating a message delivered in Nigeria on Tuesday on her first visit to Africa as head of the IMF, a key lender to countries in economic trouble.

"There is a danger of a... vicious circle driven by a loss of confidence, increased instability on the financial markets and a build up in public debt which often becomes unsustainable.

"These dangers all combine to undercut growth inexorably," she said.

The eurozone countries "are the centre of the crisis, they should and must be the centre of the solution," Lagarde added, calling not only for steps to restore confidence and reduce spending, but to boost growth and reduce unemployment.

"If nothing is done, the crisis in confidence... and this sort of spiral of doubt, will just get worse in all countries... all the countries of the world will suffer the consequences without exception."

Lagarde arrived late Tuesday in Niger, one of the world's poorest countries, meeting President Mahamadou Issoufou on Wednesday.