Economy, Finance and Trade

The economy will experience a sharp recession in 2020 due to COVID-19. Concerns about infection risk and official advice to limit social contacts has put a major dampener on household demand. Falling demand coupled with disruptions in production ...

South Africa’s economy will improve in 2019. Private consumption will expand on the back of moderate increases in real wages and disposable household income. Policy uncertainty around the land reform should fade with a clarification of the reform ...

Economic prospects look dismal in 2020. The domestic economy will be battered by the pandemic-related lockdown measures, meanwhile the collapse in the oil price is desecrating the external sector. Heightened geopolitical tensions and volatile ...

The economy will perform below trend in 2020. The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse of oil prices will take a heavy toll on Turkmenistan’s economy in 2020. Exports will be hit by weakened demand from China. The planned launch of new...

Martinique has struggled in recent years. The economy grew by 0.2% in 2017 and growth was just 0.1% in 2018. The French government provides substantial financial assistance. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange and has great potential. The ...

Cameroon will experience healthy growth in 2020. The economy will be fuelled by non-oil sectors, as oil production is set to continue declining as a result of low investment in new projects since 2014 and the depletion of resources. The decline in ...

The economy will decline in 2020 The domestic economy will be held back by COVID-19 containment measures; particularly in the tourism sector, meanwhile the external sector will plunge due to the global slowdown caused by the pandemic. Further risks ...

Kiribati is one of the world’s poorest countries. The measures in place to control the Coronavirus (COVID-19) will limit growth in 2020. Travel restrictions will constrain construction, outbound seafarers and seasonal workers. Lower remittance ...

Egypt’s economy will see solid growth in 2020. The pandemic is likely to impact the Egyptian economy primarily due to declining travel and tourist activity, reduced worker remittances, capital outflows, and slowdown in domestic activities as people ...

The economy will contract in 2020. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has required a massive lockdown on the economy, with shop and factory closures hitting both domestic activity and external trade, while travel bans have impacted tourism and ...

Bulgaria’s economy will contract steeply in 2020. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the measures needed to contain it have had an adverse impact on economic activity. Domestic demand declined on the back of lower private consumption and ...

Canada’s economy will experience a sharp recession in 2020. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis is bringing two economic shocks, the direct impact from containment measures and an indirect impact via commodity markets. Falls in household consumption ...

Eastern Europe will experience a sharp recession in 2020. The region’s integration into the world economy promises long-term benefits. Most economies have seen a shift toward services and lighter industries, with tourism services becoming ...

Real GDP will contract sharply in 2020. Despite substantial government measures put in place to cushion the impact, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis is projected to temporarily suppress domestic demand, the main driver of the recession in 2020. ...

Spain is experiencing a steep recession. The severe outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the confinement measures taken in response have resulted in a sharp contraction of activity in the first half of the year, with the service sector...

Curaçao has one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean, along with a well-developed infrastructure. However, growth has lagged behind that of other countries in the region for a number of years. An economic contraction is expected in ...

Italy’s economy expects a steep decline in 2020. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and the associated containment measures; have pushed Italy’s economy into a deep contraction in Q1 and Q2, In the absence of a second wave of infections, economic ...

Myanmar’s economy will decelerate in 2020. COVID-19 has slowed economic growth as demand and supply shocks stemming from the pandemic have caused a broad and significant contraction in the economy. The slowdown in China, tensions in Rakhine state and...

Hong Kong, China’s economy will experience a sharp contraction in 2020. In the first half of the year, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit the external sector and, added to local political tensions, battered domestic demand. Private consumption ...

The Japanese economy will contract sharply in 2020. Japan is struggling to contain COVID-19 and the 2020 Olympic Games have been postponed, which will have a profound impact on expected tourist arrivals. 2019’s sales tax hike will also limit consumer...