“The keywords for the global economy in 2012 will be “stagnation,” exploration” and “changeover,” it starts off cheerily. Words like “tepid”, “recession” and “depressed” follow fast behind. You get the picture.
SERI’S picks for 2012:
• Advanced economies will hack into some fiscal tightening.
• Emerging economies will show slower growth.
• There’s no end in sight for Europe’s fiscal crisis.
• Economic management will be top of mind as the guys (yes, they’re all guys) now at the top of the heap in the US, France and Russia front up to elections. Even China’s ruling elite must start to rethink their futures.
• International trade disputes will break out on many fronts (think China vs the US and emerging economies vs each other).
• Social network services will achieve explosive growth.
• Some companies will cotton on to recession-proof business strategies.
• There will be fierce competition to get the right people in the right job.
• Leading IT companies will surge into non-IT fields.
• New battlefields will emerge for basics such as food and water.