IMF, Jordan Reach Tentative $2 bn Loan Deal

The International Monetary Fund announced it had reached a preliminary deal with Jordan for a $2 billion loan to steady the country's battered economy. Citing a series of external "shocks" that have rattled the Jordanian economy, the IMF said a deal had been reached between staff and the Jordanian government. To guard against additional shocks, the Jordanian government asked for financial assistance from the IMF," a statement said. Flanked by a circle of instability, Jordan has been ravaged by spluttering natural gas supplies from revolutionary Egypt and a flood of refugees crossing the border from war-torn Syria. The agreement requires approval by the IMF's executive board. The global lender said the board would make its decision "in the near future."