The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday gave its latest set of forecasts of where the world economy might go, saying that the current recovery process is likely to continue although “renewed financial turbulence and euro area problems cloud the outlook”. That’s the core statement.
In addition to the couple of troubles mentioned above, one might also [...]
IMF says recovery will continue while highlighting some risks
The world’s driest cash dispenser deserts
There’s a brand new database from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), designed to warn stylish women of the world’s most dangerous shopping deserts. Places with virtually no cash dispensers at all, and hardy a single bank branch available within an area of 1,000 square kilometres! Places such as Botswana, Laos and Afghanistan.
In addition, this very [...]
The food price series (part 4): Commodity prices to rise faster than expected, new report claims
According to a new report jointly published last week by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food commodity prices will increase more strongly than previously thought during this decade.
In other words, we’ll pay more for our food going forward as global demand rises [...]
Plodding along, but uphill: the US job market
After last week’s summary of economic trends in Europe, let’s today have a look at the US, specifically at the job market there. Why the US job market? Simply because it’s so important for the world economy.
To begin with, the US continues to be the world’s largest economy by far, accounting for 24% of [...]
Retailers helping to change the world. Today: Shell
Source: Shell Select, Germany
Price: EUR3.99
Fun factor: 9/10
Wow thing: actually creates echo across half the neighbourhood
Main advantage: helps to improve relations with young & fun neighbours
Main disadvantage: sows conflict with all other neighbours, underground passengers, office colleagues etc
Half-life period: negotiable (via social consensus)
European economy update & aliens in Tuvalu
As the European economy continues to creep out of recession in slow motion (roughly the way I creep out of bed after doing sports the day before – which is one reason why I’m not in South Africa right now but let’s not discuss the other reasons here), many wonder how sustainable the recovery will [...]
Good copies and bad copies of retail logos. Today: Shoprite (South Africa)
Pointless yet controversial; childish, totally unrelated to work but driving a wedge between the people of Europe – that’s what an economy blog should be all about.
I’ll go back to my desk now and sort out my mail after a long weekend away. Apologies for this outrageous waste of time.
Next week: an overview of how [...]
Enjoy digging (plus internet statistics)
Just in case you haven’t heard about it: the World Bank has recently opened its online statistical database to everyone, making it available for free, precisely at http://data.worldbank.org.
The offer includes the Bank’s world development indicators, its global development finance data, the Africa development indicators, the global economic monitor, and last but not least some [...]
Later has arrived and it’s time to be tough - first impressions of public spending cuts
When the economic downturn escalated in late 2008 and early 2009, spreading beyond the nervous financial markets and beginning to make itself felt across most regions of the world on the back of rapidly spreading insecurity… when industrial production, commodity markets, inventory levels, corporate investment, global trade, job markets and consumer confidence all began to [...]
Pretending to be a Greek urn
It has been a really tough three weeks, I can tell you. First holidaying in Italy with all the hardships this sort of activity can bring with it; then climbing through a high-wire park with my analyst colleagues near London (no bad accidents recorded apart from splashing mustard at the post-sport barbecue); then a fun [...]
