A.T. Kearney’s Global Business Policy Council has published The Productivity Imperative: Global Economic Outlook 2018 – 2022, and it is revealed that “all major economies enjoyed economic growth last year and are expected to continue to expand throughout the 2018–2022 forecast period.” The report is an interesting read with content that succinctly outlines growth projections of worldwide economies and identifies specific risks and concerns with maintaining the growth. A few highlights, directly quoted:
- In 2017, economic growth in both developed markets and emerging and frontier markets accelerated.
- The Council forecasts that this upswing will continue in the short to medium term and will continue each year through 2022.
- Asia will lead the world in economic growth over the next five years
- Among emerging markets in the region, South Asia is expected to outpace East Asia in economic growth in the coming years. But India, China, and almost all of the ASEAN-5 markets are all expected to do very well, with projected average annual economic growth rates near or above 5 percent through 2022.
- Economic growth in the Middle East and Africa is forecast to strengthen in the coming years after several years of lackluster performance.
- Throughout much of Europe and Eurasia, economic growth is also on an upswing, bolstered by strengthening industrial production and exports, rising consumer spending, and slightly higher oil prices.
- The economic outlook in the Americas is mixed, with positive momentum in North America but below-potential growth in much of Latin America.
- Weak productivity growth, domestic political risks and geopolitical tensions, barriers to global economic integration, and a potential disorderly adjustment of large debt levels are the primary risks that the Council foresees in the next five years.