od ities ▁prices , ▁lower ed ▁its ▁base ▁rate ▁by ▁ 1 . 5 ▁percentage ▁points , ▁from ▁ 4 . 5 % ▁to ▁ 3 %. ▁This ▁was ▁accompanied ▁by ▁a ▁ 5 0 ▁basis ▁point ▁drop ▁in ▁the ▁base ▁rate ▁to ▁ 3 . 2 5 % ▁by ▁the ▁European ▁Central ▁Bank ▁( EC B ). ▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 6 , ▁the ▁International ▁Mon et ary ▁Fund ▁( IM F ) ▁at ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁predicted ▁for ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁a ▁world wide ▁− 0 . 3 % ▁decrease ▁of ▁the ▁B IP ▁for ▁the ▁developed ▁econom ies ▁( − 0 . 7 % ▁for ▁the ▁USA ▁and ▁− 0 . 8 % ▁for ▁Germany ). ▁ ▁Week ▁of ▁November ▁ 9 ▁ ▁On ▁Sunday , ▁November ▁ 9 , ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁announced ▁a ▁$ 5 8 6 ▁billion ▁domestic ▁stim ulus ▁package ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁Econom ic ▁growth ▁has ▁slow ed ▁in ▁China ▁with ▁sharp ▁dro ps ▁in ▁property ▁and ▁stock ▁values . ▁ ▁The ▁money ▁from ▁the ▁stim ulus ▁package ▁will ▁be ▁spent ▁on ▁upgrad ing ▁infrastr ucture , ▁particularly ▁roads , ▁rail ways , ▁air ports ▁and ▁the ▁power ▁gr ids ▁throughout ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁raise ▁rural ▁in comes ▁via ▁land ▁reform . ▁ ▁Also ▁sp ending ▁will ▁be ▁made ▁on ▁social ▁w elf are ▁projects ▁such