Future of Northern Ireland Economy - Growth Strategies

Futurist Keynote - Articles and Videos - Future Trends, Economy, Markets, Industry

There are many opportunities for growth in Northern Ireland, and there will be even more as the economy in the Republic of Ireland recovers (as it will).  Much depends on investor confidence, whether of the CEO of a medium sized company with healthy balance sheets, who has been afraid to burn cash that might be needed in a new downturn, or the leader of a new start-up who is wondering about the wisdom of seeking a loan which is tied to the equity in the family home.

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Future of Europe - Why EU is splitting into two regions

Futurist Keynote - Articles and Videos - Future Trends, Economy, Markets, Industry

Europe is drifting apart into two groups:  high risk and low risk countries.  The greatest challenge for the future survival of Europe in current form will be finding a way to bridge the gap between them.

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Truth about Global Economic Crisis: America, EU, China, Emerging Markets

Futurist Keynote - Articles and Videos - Future Trends, Economy, Markets, Industry

“Smart Economics is about more than numbers in a globalised, rapidly changing, multi-cultural, digital world.” It is easy to gain the impression from TV news channels and Business news pages that the entire global economy has been in free-fall for the last 2-3 years, and that recovery is a long way off.  By 2011, GWP had bounced back to levels seen in 2004-2007.  The world economy only shrank for just over 12 months. It is true that our world continues to be vulnerable to a further economic shock, but we do need to see these things in the context of longer history, and longer future. What kind of events could trigger a second global shock?

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China as world's dominant superpower - Impact on America, Russia and EU

Futurist Keynote - Articles and Videos - Future Trends, Economy, Markets, Industry

Here is a fact beyond dispute:  China is set to become the world’s largest economy.  The only debates are by what date and by what measure?  According to the IMF, Asian economies will represent at least 40% of global economic output by 2015, adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity. Many economists expect that on PPP calculations, China will overtake the United States long before 2020, probably by 2015-17. All global economists agree it is only a matter of time, by whatever measure. Most people in developed nations are unprepared for an inevitable major psychological, economic, cultural and political shift, which will impact the rest of this century.

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How interest rate policies will change: future inflation risks, global economy

Futurist Keynote - Articles and Videos - Future Trends, Economy, Markets, Industry

Why governments are changing interest rate policies and targeting slightly higher inflation rates. Risks of targeting inflation rates as low as 2% with little room for macro-economic shocks or deflationary events. Predictions by many economists have been unreliable in the 2008-2011 global crisis, partly because economists tended to underestimate the financial and political complexities. Challenges to global economy and vulnerability of some developed nations to deflation, despite short term inflation caused by higher oil prices and other commodity shortages. Economic outlook for US and Europe in the midst of urgent attempts to avoid another recession.

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Truth about UK debt - hidden ways for government to reduce

Futurist Keynote - Articles and Videos - Future Trends, Economy, Markets, Industry

UK government debt is around £1 trillion, equal to over 70% of our GDP, and way above highest levels since 1975.  It is continuing to rise fast, and many people are worried about it.  But here are some interesting facts about hidden ways to reduce the debt, and its real impact.

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Future of Euro – and breakup of the EU / Eurozone

Futurist Keynote - Articles and Videos - Future Trends, Economy, Markets, Industry

I am often asked about the future of the Euro and Eurozone nations.

Will the Euro collapse?  Will one or more nations leave the Eurozone?

Will nations like Greece default on their national debt?  And if they do so, what will be the likely impact on the Eurozone as a whole, and on banks?  What will be the risk of accelerating another economic crisis?

Will EU nations like the UK who are outside the Eurozone be damaged in the possible chaos? Article and Video.

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Global Economc Crisis 2007-15 - looking back from year 2100

Futurist Keynote - Articles and Videos - Future Trends, Economy, Markets, Industry

When historians look back in 100 years time -- what will they make of the sub-prime crisis and all that followed? What links will they make between the rise of China as a mega-industrial nation, buying huge amounts of dollars, keeping their own currency low, and costs of borrowing low for developed nations. Of course we are talking about a wider issue than China, but China is a dominant force in this regard. The fact is that China's willingness to buy dollars and euros in the 2000s provided a very welcome boost for developed nations - providing a lot of money at low interest rates. Both governments and individuals took advantage of this to spend on things they thought were important at the time, running up huge debts, and driving these economies into a long boom.

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Future of the European Union - Enlarged or Broken?

Futurist Keynote - Articles and Videos - Future Trends, Economy, Markets, Industry

What will historians will write about Europe in 2100. Did integration prevent a Third World War - as was the hope of the founders of the European Union? How stable was the Union after expansion to include Eastern bloc nations? What resulted from the global ecnomic crisis in 2009 and threat to the Euro in 2012? What was the outcome of major showdowns between The Federal States of Europe and America through 2020-2030? How did the Union cope with influx of foreign nationals? What happened to national parliaments, laws, languages and cultures? Major challenges to the future of Europe lie ahead. If the great experiment succeeds, it will create an economic, political and military force to pose real challenges to the United States.

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