Global Government Debt: Balloon Still Expanding

Government efforts to mitigate the economic consequences of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the Covid pandemic have led to surging government debt. In the United States, for instance, public sector liabilities are approaching levels not seen before in peacetime (Chart above). And, while I will discuss important differences between countries and regions, the United [...]

Emerging Markets: Has the Time Come?

28 January 2024 At last year's BRICS Summit in South Africa, national leaders were all smiles; ushering in what they believe will be a more influential era for the Global South. Emerging market investors, on the other hand, have had little to celebrate, as EM markets have dramatically underperformed during the past 15 years -- [...]

India: Geopolitics, Climate, and Growth Risks

31 May 2022 In my March 2019 blog entitled "India: Long Growth Runway Still Lies Ahead", I suggested India may enjoy faster economic growth than all other large economies during the next decade, including China. The following Chart indicates the IMF now shares this appraisal, as India's long-term potential GDP exceeds all other countries (except [...]

Strategy 2022: Avoiding Stagflation?

1 December 2021 As investors establish their 2022 market strategy, I summarise my answers to many key questions: Will the current rise in inflation be temporary or are rapidly rising prices here to stay? In the USA, for example, I expect price growth to peak in the first quarter of 2022, and "core" inflation to [...]