If, as has been observed, demography is destiny, this will be the African century. By Antoinette M. Sayeh and Abebe Aemro Selassie Most countries in sub-Saharan Africa are on the cusp of a demographic transition—the years when the share of young and old in the population declines and those in working age range (15-64 years) increases. Elsewhere, … Continue reading
Latin America’s recent economic fortunes highlight the region’s closer economic ties with Asia. China, in particular, has grown into a crucial source of demand for Latin American commodities over the past two decades, providing significant gains to the region. The flip side is that the ongoing structural slowdown of Chinese investment is weighing considerably on … Continue reading
The gap between the rich and the poor is at its widest in decades in advanced countries, and inequality is also rising in major emerging markets (Chart 1). It is becoming increasingly clear that these developments have profound economic implications. By Era Dabla-Norris, Kalpana Kochhar, and Evridiki Tsounta Earlier IMF work has shown that income inequality is … Continue reading
The status of negotiations between Greece and its official creditors – the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF – dominated headlines last week. At the core of the negotiations is a simple question: How much of an adjustment has to be made by Greece, how much has to be made by its official creditors? … Continue reading
Financial bailouts, stimulus spending, and lower revenues during the Great Recession have resulted in some of the highest public debt ratios seen in advanced economies in the past forty years. Recent debates have centered on the pace at which to pay down this debt, with few questions being asked about whether the debt needs to … Continue reading
The plunge in world oil prices—from $105 to about $50 per barrel since mid-2014—has been a boon for oil-importing countries, while presenting challenges for oil exporters. By Robert Rennhack and Fabián Valencia In general, oil importers will enjoy faster growth, lower inflation, and stronger external positions, and most will not encounter any significant fiscal pressures. … Continue reading
By David Marston, Era Dabla-Norris, and D. Filiz Unsal Economists are paying increasing attention to the link between financial inclusion—greater availability of and access to financial services—and economic development. In a new paper, we take a closer look at exactly how financial inclusion impacts a country’s economy and what policies are most effective in promoting … Continue reading
By Masood Ahmed The steep decline in global oil prices, by 55 percent since last September, has changed the economic dynamics of oil exporters in the Middle East and North Africa. Our update of theRegional Economic Outlook, released yesterday, shows that these countries are now faced with large export and government revenue losses, which are … Continue reading
Here are the latest 2015 economic outlooks by Goldman Sachs for U.S., Japan, Europe, Asia, Emerging Markets, Latin America and China. The EMerging Equity Team would like to take this opportunity and wish all our loyal readers a Happy and Prosperous New Year! We hope your 2015 investment decisions are going to be more accurate … Continue reading