The IMF predicts a slowdown for the emerging and developing economies in 2015

The global economic recovery will pick up pace this year but remains "weak and uneven", the International Monetary Fund's top economist has said.

Global growth remains moderate, with uneven prospects across the main countries and regions. Relative to last year, the outlook for advanced economies is improving, while growth in emerging market and developing economies is projected to be lower, primarily reflecting weaker prospects for some large emerging market economies and oil-exporting countries.

Growth forecasts for Brazil, Russia and Mexico were slashed for 2015, with a mix of uncertain politics, weak commodity prices and volatile exchange rates cited as factors.

Chinam once a main driver of global growth, is now expected to grow at 6.8 percent in 2015 and 6.3 percent in 2016, with overheating property markets and questionable loans remaining concerns. Overall, the fund estimates global growth of 3.5 percent this year, increasing to 3.8 percent in 2016.

After the decline of oil price, there might come geopolitical tensions such as in the case of Russia of which the budget balance depends on the barrel prices and its revenue with this resource. It will be a challenge for oil exporters, in particular those facing difficult initial conditions.

As for the Chinese, there will be an important slowdown in the investments, especially in real estate, due to the government’s decision on reducing vulnerabilities that came from the recent rapid credit and investment growth.

In Latin America, because of the lower commodity prices, the outlook will continue to weaken. To focus on a country in particular, for example Brazil is affected by its macroeconomic policies which are drought and tighter.

Any boost in emerging countries’ growth will be muted by the fact that windfall gains from lower oil prices are not passed through as directly to consumers in many emerging market and developing oil importers. Instead, the government will take those gains and use them to shore up public finances, for example, in the form of savings from lower energy subsidies.

Nevertheless, the growth in the group of low income countries has remained high. This growth will only slow slightly from 6 percent in 2014 to 5.5 percent in 2015. It is expected to rebound in 2016, partly thanks to increased external demand from advanced economy trading partners.

Is Mark Zuckerberg changing the world?

Last week, Facebook’s creator Mark Zuckerberg was interviewed during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona about his project internet.org meant to connect everyone around the world.

“90% of the people live within range of a network” Zuckerberg said. He then explained that only less than half of the world is connected to the internet and that it is important to explain to them how useful it can be and what advantages they can actually get from internet. He showed how it is important to pay attention to everyone’s specific needs.

The young CEO explained that the main point of the project is not only getting actual connections but to get people to connect and interact together. Companies make progress faster than ever and it is time to share the advances with the whole world. Students all over the world use it and know how to and what to get from it.

Facebook’s founder said he wants to work with Google and explained that there has to be conversations between the companies to try and get the more advantages from them.

Getting people to be connected has a cost and the creator of Facebook talked about all the launch partners that are a part of the initiative. He also invited them to join him on stage and talk about their experience of the project. 

Exercice 4

Economic comparison of France and the UK

Source : http://www.tradingeconomics.com/

The Growth Domestic Product (GDP) of the United Kingdom has been regularly growing over the 5 past years, going from 2208 in 2010 to 2522.26 in 2014 without seeing any drops in its growth, whereas France's is higher but is not regular, in 2010 it was up to 2619 and in 2014 it has grown up to 2734.95, which is a smaller growth than the British one. Indeed, The French growth does waves and goes up and down depending on the year. On the contrary, it is clear that the British growth is measured and is progressively reaching the same level as the French one. 

Source : http://www.tradingeconomics.com/

The British unemployment rate is clearly in better shape than the French one. Indeed, it is obvious that, over the past years, the United Kingdom has been handling the situation better than France has. As the numbers show, in 2010, the unemployment rate in the UK was 8.1% and in 2014, it has decreased by 12% and reached 6.8%. On the contrary, the French numbers keeps on increasing and went from 9.4% in 2010 to 10.2% in 2014, which represents a 8.5% fall. 

Nihon Keizai Shimbun is a worldwide famed Economic newspaper

The newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun, owned by Nikkei Inc and first published in Japan on December 2 1876, is the economic newspaper the more read in Japan and the second more read in the world with 4 635 000 copies sold each day.

Nihon Keizai Shimbun Newspaper

This worldwide famous newspaper gathers more than 1 300 journalists all around the world and gives economic and political analysis of very high quality.

This quality of writing and analyzing made it the newspaper it is today. The journalists do not hesitate to defy too conservative governments when they judge the liberalism is threatened.