MARKET Timing-Whats Next - ANOTHER VOICE -Warning

IMF chief: US default would bring 'massive disruption'

Becky Bratu

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Oct. 12, 2013 at 9:25 PM ET

JONATHAN ERNST / Reuters

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde speaks at a final news conference following the annual IMF-World Bank fall meetings in Washington, Oct. 12, 2013.

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde warned in an interview that the combination of a U.S. government shutdown coupled with a default on the country’s debt — looming if Republicans and the White House can’t reach a deal soon — would bring “massive disruption the world over.”
In an interview with NBC News’ Meet the Press moderator David Gregory, Lagarde said “creative accounting” as opposed to raising the debt limit by the Treasury’s Oct. 17 deadline was not the way out of this current crisis – a view in contrast to that of a growing number of Republicans in Congress disputing the dire forecast.
“When you are the largest economy in the world, when you are the safe haven in all circumstances, as has been the case, you can't go into that creative accounting business,” Lagarde said.