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Global Trends



        T   he global economy     The rise in central bank policy                                                              Its labor market has remained   year (January-July), China’s   Global commodity prices,   Finance Minister has forecast
            continues to be mired in
                                                                                                                                                                                      especially food and crude oil,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 inflation to fall to about 5.0
                                                                                                                                                          exports fell by 5.0 per cent on
                                  rates to fight inflation
                                                                                                                               tight since March 2022.
        uncertainty as disruptive   continues to weigh on                                                                      Employment levels in the   an annual basis, while imports   which were on a downward   per cent by the end of
        events such as the Covid-19   economic activity. As a result,                                                          country rose by 222 thousand   dropped by 7.6 per cent   trajectory, have started to inch   the year.
        pandemic followed by the   the International Monetary                                                                  to 161.5 million in August, with   during the same period.   higher since July 2023. The rise
        Russia-Ukraine war are    Fund (IMF), in its latest World                                                              major job gains occurring in                           in food prices, which could be   On the other hand, China
        continuing to create      Economic Outlook projects                                                                    healthcare, social assistance,   Amongst other major   a seasonality issue, may keep   reported a 0.3 per cent drop
        turbulence in the global   the global economy to slow                                                                  financial activities and the   economies, Eurozone, is still   food inflation elevated in the   in CPI inflation in July, the first
        economy.  Not surprisingly,   from 3.5 per cent in 2022 to                                                             wholesale trade sector. The   reeling from last year’s sharp   near term.         decline since early 2021. The
        economies across the world   an estimated 3.0 per cent in                                                              labor force participation rate   spike in gas prices caused by                    fall in prices could be attribut-
        are slowing, and growth   2023 and 2024. While the
        trajectories are diverging   forecast for 2023 is modestly                                                             inched up to 62.8 per cent, the   the conflict between Russia   Among select countries, the   ed to the weakening of the
        across regions amidst     higher (~ 20 basis points)                                                                   highest since February 2020.   and Ukraine. Its growth rate   British households, which   economic momentum in the
        moderating but above target   than that projected in April                                                                                        decelerated to 0.6 per cent in   were facing inflation in   country due to lackluster
        inflation, tight financial   2023, it remains weak by                                                                  China’s growth of 6.3 per cent   the second quarter of 2023.    double-digits due to high food   domestic demand. The CPI
        conditions, simmering     historical standards. This is                                                                in Q2 as compared to 4.5 per   The moderation in growth of   and energy bills until Q1 2023,   deflation may put pressure on
        geopolitical conflicts,   the weakest growth profile                                                                   cent in Q1 came on the back   the Eurozone economies was   have started seeing some level   the government to consider
        geoeconomic fragmentation,   since 2001 except for the                                                                 of a low base. Going forward,   largely due to a large drop in   of softening, thereby releasing   additional fiscal stimulus to
        along with extreme weather   global financial crisis and the                                                           with a sharp deterioration in   real incomes and surging   pressure on household   mitigate the challenge.
        conditions.               acute phase of the COVID-19                                                                  its economic activity and   interest rates.            budgets. Further, the British
                                  pandemic.                                                                                    credit flows, the Chinese
                                                                                                                               economy is now the biggest   UK, on the other hand,           Trajectory of Global Inflation in Key Economies (y-o-y%)
                                                              to decline to 2.1 per cent in   oil stood at $94.9 per barrel    threat to global demand. A   reported a growth of 0.4 per   12.0
                  Global Growth Trajectory (y-o-y%)           2023, a full percentage point   (as on 22nd September 2023).     slowdown in the US and     cent in the second quarter of   10.0
                                                              less than in 2022, before   The rise also comes at a time        major economies have       2023, with household           8.0
                                       2023
                                                 2024
          Country/Region     2022     (Forecast)  (Forecast)  recovering marginally to 2.4   when Russia has announced a       dragged down Chinese       consumption, along with        6.0                6.8     5.3
                                                                                                                               exports and domestic demand
                                                                                                                                                          manufacturing output driving
                                                                                          production cut by 50,000
                                                              per cent in 2024 as inflation
                                                                                                                                                                                         4.0
          Advanced Economies  2.7       1.5      1.4          pressures persist and tight   barrel per day, starting August.   too remains lackluster thereby   growth during the quarter.   2.0  3.2                       3.3
                                                              monetary policy is expected   Saudi Arabia, too, is likely to    threatening its recovery   Further, as per the forecasts by
                                                                                                                                                                                         0.0
          United States       2.1       1.8      1.0          to weigh substantially on   extend its voluntary monthly         prospects. China’s exports fell   the Bank of England, UK will   -2.0                                -0.3
          Euro Area           3.5       0.9      1.5          economic activity.          production cut of one million        by 14.5 per cent in July, on an   be avoiding a recession this   Q3 2022  Q4 2022  Q1 2023  Q2 2023  Q3 2022  Q4 2022  Q1 2023  Q2 2023  Q3 2022  Q4 2022  Q1 2023  Q2 2023  Q3 2022  Q4 2022  Q1 2023  Q2 2023  Q3 2022  Q4 2022  Q1 2023  Q2 2023
                                                                                          barrels per day, in its next         annual basis, while imports   year and is likely to see a           Q3 2023 (July)  Q3 2023 (July)  Q3 2023 (July)  Q3 2023 (July)  Q3 2023 (July)
          Japan               1.0       1.4      1.0          Some of the high frequency   meeting in October. Such            dropped by 12.4 per cent in   boost in business investment
                                                              global indicators also point in   output cuts, together with     US dollar terms. Further, for   in the coming quarters.        US      UK     Eurozone  Japan   China
          Emerging and        4.0       4.0      4.1          the direction of a slowdown   stimulus measures announced
          Developing                                          in August on account of a   in China to revive the               the first seven months of the                                             Source: National Sources
          Economies
                                                              decline in the services sector   economy and hopes of an
          Brazil              2.9       2.1      1.2          and a contraction in        improved winter demand may             7.0  Trajectory of Real GDP growth in Key Economies (y-o-y%)                    interest rates, after raising
                                                              manufacturing sector activity.   keep the prices elevated in                                                   6.3
          China               3.0       5.2      4.5          The J.P Morgan Global       the near term despite global           6.0                                                   POLICY RATES ARE          rates to a 22-year high of 5.5
                                                                                                                                                                                       LIKELY TO STAY
          India               7.2       6.1      6.3          Composite PMI fell to 50.6 in   recessionary concerns.             5.0                                                   HIGHER FOR LONGER         per cent.
                                                              August from 51.6 in July, to                                       4.0
          World               3.5       3.0      3.0          register its lowest reading                                                                                                                        The rate hikes in the US have
                                                              since January. The momentum                                        3.0       2.6                       2.0                                         triggered outflows from many
          Source: IMF World Economic Outlook, July 2023                                    MIXED RECOVERY                        2.0                                                                             emerging markets & developing
                                                              of the services sector,                                                                                                 With the easing of inflationary
                                                              including business activity,   WITNESSED ACROSS                    1.0               0.6      0.4                       pressures from their peak, the   economies and resulted in
                                                              new orders and employment    MAJOR ECONOMIES                                                                                                       higher bond yield as well as a
        The above table indicates that   2024. Another positive is that   slowed in August, as a result                          0.0    US     Eurozone  UK      Japan    China       central banks across the globe   strong dollar.
        the advanced economies    Asia is expected to         of which the J.P Morgan     As the central banks across                                                                 have somewhat scaled down
        would experience a marked   contribute about 70 per cent   Global Services PMI    the world continue to hike                     Q22022  Q32022  Q42022  Q12023  Q22023       the pace of monetary       The Bank of England, too, has
        slowdown as growth is     of global growth this year,   moderated to 51.1 in August   interest rates in their fight                        Source: National Sources           tightening. However, the   raised rates for the fourteenth
        expected to fall from 2.7 per   boosted by reopening of   from 52.7 in July. On the   against inflation, many global                                                          continued interest rate    consecutive time to 5.25 per
        cent in 2022 to 1.5 per cent   China and strong momentum   other hand, the J.P Morgan   economies have been                                       levels but remains well above   increases, in order to bring the   cent in August 2023, bringing
        this year and would remain   of the Indian economy.   Manufacturing PMI stood at   witnessing a slowdown in             INFLATION SEEN TO BE      the central banks’ target. IMF   inflation print within target   interest rates to their highest
        subdued at 1.4 per cent in                            49 in August, with operating   growth.  With fairly resilient     MODERATING THOUGH                                     range of the central banks, are   level since February 2008. The
        2024. By contrast, growth in   The World Bank, too, in its   conditions decelerating due   labor markets, the US        REMAINS ABOVE             expects global inflation to fall   likely to keep the borrowing
        emerging markets and      latest Global Economic      to acute weakness in the Euro   economy has been able to          TARGET RANGE              from 8.7 per cent in 2022 to   costs higher for longer than   bank also highlighted that some
        developing economies is   Prospects Report, projects   Area and signs of a slowdown   sustain its economic growth                                 6.8 per cent in 2023 and to   expected by the investors,   key indicators, notably wage
        expected to remain almost   the global economy to slow   in China.                in the second quarter of 2023                                   5.2 per cent in 2024, on the   businesses, and households.   growth, suggest that some of
        the same  with year-on-year   significantly this year, with                       as it grew by 2.6 per cent on        Inflation, which emerged as a   back of lower commodity                           the risks from more persistent
        growth at 4.0 per cent in   weakness continuing in 2024.   Global commodity prices   the back of stronger business     big risk post the Russia’s   prices. However, core inflation,   The US Fed, in its latest   inflationary pressures may have
        2022 and 2023 and rising   According to the Bank, the   have also been on a rise in   investments.                     invasion of Ukraine last year,   which removes food and fuel   monetary policy meeting   begun to crystallize.
        marginally to 4.1 per cent in   global economy is expected   recent months. Brent crude                                has started exhibiting some   prices, is expected to decline   maintained a status quo on its
                                                                                                                               softening from the elevated
                                                                                                                                                          more gradually.
        28   ANALYSIS, RESEARCH, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & ADVOCACY                                                                                                                                               ANALYSIS, RESEARCH, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & ADVOCACY  29
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
             QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
             SEPTEMBER 2023                                                                                                                                                                                                 SEPTEMBER 2023
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