Twenty more countries seek aid from IMF amid coronovirus outbreak

US stock markets were down sharply in mid-morning trading with the S&P 500 index down about 10% and shedding $2 trillion in value

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Monday said 20 additional countries have asked about receiving aid from the global lender as the coronavirus pandemic halts economic activity, and she called for strong, coordinated fiscal stimulus to limit the damage.
 
In a blog post on the IMF website, Georgieva said the Fund was ready to mobilize its full $1 trillion lending capacity to help member countries deal with the crisis.
 
She did not identify the countries that have expressed interest in new financing programs. Iran last week said it was seeking an emergency loan from the IMF.