The IMF's 2025 charts reveal a critical tension that policymakers can't ignore: low economic growth paired with mounting deficits and debt levels. Sounds manageable in theory, but here's the catch—tackle one problem alone and you'll likely worsen the other. That's where things get thorny. The real policy challenge isn't dealing with sluggish growth OR fiscal imbalances in isolation. It's navigating both simultaneously while keeping economies stable heading into 2026. This intersection of anemic growth and structural fiscal pressures is reshaping how central banks and governments approach stimulus, austerity, and long-term planning. Understanding this dynamic matters for anyone tracking macroeconomic trends and their ripple effects across asset classes.