World Economic Forum: Seeing Light Through the Gloom in Davos – World Economic Forum: Davos 2010 – TIME

Posted by Matt in January 22nd, 2010 | no comment

Published in Economy, Forecasts, 2000s, Boom, Charles Roxburgh, Debt Overhang, Downturn, Drag On, Economic Terms, Excess Capacity, Expand 2, Forum Davos, Gdp, Gdp Growth, Global Economy, Gloom, Mckinsey Global Institute, Seven Years, Snapshot, Unemployment Crisis, World Bank, World Economic Forum

In strictly economic terms, it’s not hard to display a snapshot of where things stand now. After declining an estimated 2.2% in 2009, the global economy is projected to expand 2.7% in 2010, according to the World Bank. But recovery is fragile. Excess capacity continues to dampen expectations of growth, and the unemployment crisis in [...]

BusinessWorld Online: Will China rule the world?

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2010 | no comment

Published in China, Africa, Astonishing Level, Borders, Business World, Businessworld, China, Chinese Government, Competitor, Economic Power, Financier, Footprint, Global Economy, Globe, Investor, Latin-America, Military Relationships, Research And Development, Thirty Years, Trillion

Thirty years ago, China had a tiny footprint on the global economy and little influence outside its borders, save for a few countries with which it had close political and military relationships.
Today, the country is a remarkable economic power: the world’s manufacturing workshop, its foremost financier, a leading investor across the globe from Africa to [...]

Four global crisis spots – Washington Times

Posted by Matt in January 13th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Forecasts, Geopolitical, 21st Century, Afghanistan Pakistan, American President, Amount Of Time, climate change, Global Crisis, Global Economy, Immigration, India, International Crime, Iran, iraq, Israeli Peace, Milestones, North-Korea, Peace Process, Russia, Security Issues, Transnational Issues, Washington Times

Of course, any American president has umpteen international issues to address in any given year – including those that can be foreseen as well as those that pop up. Managing the three big wars (Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan), the three additional major crisis spots (North Korea, Iran, the Arab-Israeli “peace process”), and the three big, new [...]

How Russia Is About to Dramatically Change the World | theTrumpet.com

Posted by Matt in January 9th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Oil, Russia, Asia, Balance Of Power, Church Of God, Columns, Europe, Few Days, Global Balance, Global Economy, New Oil, Oil Exporter, Oil Pipeline, Philadelphia Church Of God, Ramifications, Russia, Saudi-Arabia, Shape

Over the next few days, Russia will change the world. It has completed a new oil pipeline and port complex that sets Russia up to become a more powerful oil exporter than Saudi Arabia. The ramifications for Europe and Asia are profound: The shape of the global economy—and the global balance of power—will be altered [...]

Russia and Europe need to move closer | Sergei Karaganov | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

Posted by Matt in December 27th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Europe, Russia, Cold-War, Eternal Issue, Euro, Europe, Global Economy, Guardian Co Uk, Guardian Uk, International Politics, Move Free, Rapid Changes, Rivalries, Russia

Old cold war rivalries have come back to the fore. It’s in both parties’ interests to work towards a new ‘Union of Europe’
Rapid changes in the global economy and international politics are raising, once more, an eternal issue in Russia: the country’s relations with Europe, and with the Euro-Atlantic region as a whole. Of course, [...]

We are at risk of a trade war – and the West has most to lose – Telegraph

Posted by Matt in December 26th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Trade, Aftermath, Comfort Blanket, Extremism, Global Economy, Great Depression, International Commerce, Measures, politicians, Protectionism, Rash, Realities, Recession, Second World War, Tariffs And Quotas, Telegraph, Trade War, Unemployment, Wall Street, Wall Street Crash, Worldwide Deal

The global economy now badly needs an over-arching “trade round” – a worldwide deal to boost international commerce, while keeping protectionism in check. After all, it was the rash of tariffs and quotas imposed in the aftermath of the 1929 Wall Street crash that put the “Great” in the “Great Depression”. While economically disastrous, such [...]

Take the R Out of BRIC | Foreign Policy

Posted by Matt in December 2nd, 2009 | no comment

Published in Russia, Brazil, Bric Countries, China, Cohort, Economic Performance, Emerging Economies, Foreign Policy, Functional Members, Gatherings, Global Economy, India, Prominence, Russia, Summits, What On Earth

What on Earth is Russia doing on the list of top emerging economies?
As Russia proudly boasts its prominence at G-20 summits, gatherings of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), and other global economic round tables, an embarrassing question arises. Does Russia really deserve to be a BRIC? The country’s economic performance has plummeted [...]

Dubai Debt: Global Economic Recovery Still in Danger – TIME

Posted by Matt in November 30th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Dubai, Economy, Boom, Danger Time, Dominique Strauss Kahn, Economic Recovery, Excess Capacity, Global Economy, Global Issue, International Monetary Fund, Late November, Managing Director, New Menu, No Doubt, Policy Challenges, Recession, Slew, Stimulus, surprises, Uncertainty, Unemployment, Unresolved Problems

The worst of the crisis is almost certainly behind us, but that doesn’t mean the crisis is over. Lying ahead are a slew of unresolved problems, policy challenges and, no doubt, further surprises. Unemployment remains a serious global issue, and may yet get worse; excess capacity left over from the boom years haunts the recovery; [...]

The GDP Mirage – BusinessWeek

Posted by Matt in November 3rd, 2009 | no comment

Published in Economy, Ample Evidence, Businessweek, Gdp, Gdp Growth, Gdp Statistics, Global Economy, Innovation, Intangibles, Investment, Investments, Mirage, Motor Vehicles, Official Statistics, Percentage Point, Plunge, Productivity Growth, Research And Development, Term Profits, Traditional Sectors

The trouble is that those GDP and productivity growth figures [3.5%] could be significantly overestimated—perhaps by one percentage point or even more.
That’s because the official statistics are not designed to pick up cutbacks in “intangible investments” such as business spending on research and development, product design, and worker training. There’s ample evidence to suggest that [...]

Britain faces gas shortage in six years due to Russia – Telegraph

Posted by Matt in October 28th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Britain, Energy, Alistair, Buchanan, Chief Executive, Coal, Cubic Metre, Cubic Metres, Energy Demand, Energy Regulator, Energy Shortfall, Europe, Gas Developments, Gas Shortage, Global Economy, Nuclear Plants, Ofgem, Russia, Russian Gas, Russian Projects, Six Years, Telegraph

Britain is facing an energy shortfall by 2015 over its exposure to six risky Russian gas developments, if the UK becomes much more dependent on imports from abroad, according to Ofgem.
Alistair Buchanan, chief executive of the energy regulator, has found that Europe could be under-supplied by 41bn cubic metres in six years’ time, [...]