The head of the International Monetary Fund on Monday warned that inflation was already picking up and the global economy could face a "much worse outcome" if the war in the Middle East drags into 2027 and oil prices hit around $125 per barrel. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the continuation of the war meant that the global lender's "reference scenario" assuming a short-lived conflict - which forecast a minor growth slowdown to 3.1% and a minor increase in prices to 4.4% - was no longer possible.