The Economic Pulse of the World - May 2018

Global Average of National Economic Assessment Unchanged: 47%

The average global economic assessment of national economies surveyed in 28 countries is remains unchanged this wave with 47% of global citizens rating their national economies as ‘good’.

Despite losing 5 points since last sounding, China (84%) remains at the top spot in the national economic assessment category this month, followed by Germany (83%), Saudi Arabia (81%), India (74%), Israel (66%), Sweden (65%), the United States (63%), Australia (62%), Belgium (58%) and Poland (57%). Brazil (15%) has the lowest spot in this assessment, followed by Italy (18%), Argentina (21%), Spain (22%), South Africa (22%), Mexico (26%), France (28%), Hungary (31%) and Turkey (32%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: Belgium (58%, +8 pts.), Poland (57%, +7 pts.), Great Britain (51%, +6 pts.), South Korea (33%, +5 pts.), Malaysia (45%, +5 pts.), Israel (66%, +4 pts.), Hungary (31%, +3 pts.), Germany (83%, +3 pts.), Russia (35%, +2 pts.) and Mexico (26%, +2 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines: Argentina (21%, -9 pts.), Canada (55%, -7 pts.), South Africa (22%, -7 pts.), China (84%, -5 pts.), Turkey (32%, -5 pts.), Chile (52%, -4 pts.), Sweden (65%, -4 pts.), the United States (63%, -3 pts.), India (74%, -2 pts.) and Italy (18%, -2 pts.).

Global Average of Local Economic Assessment (36%) Up One Point

When asked to assess their local economy, over one third (36%) of those surveyed in 28 countries agree that the state of the current economy in their local area is ‘good’. The local economic assessment is up one point since last sounding.

China (72%) is the top country in the local assessment category once again, followed by Israel (66%), Saudi Arabia (62%), Germany (58%), the United States (58%), Sweden (57%), India (55%), Chile (46%), Canada (42%), Australia (41%) and Poland (38%). Serbia (14%) is the lowest ranked country in this category this month, followed by Italy (15%), Japan (18%), Spain (18%), Mexico (20%), South Africa (20%), Argentina (20%), Brazil (21%), Hungary (21%), Russia (23%) and France (24%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: Russia (23%, +8 pts.), Poland (38%, +8 pts.), Malaysia (35%, +7 pts.), South Korea (28%, +4 pts.), Great Britain (35%, +3 pts.), Brazil (21%, +3 pts.), Belgium (36%, +3 pts.), the United States (58%, +2 pts.), Sweden (57%, +2 pts.), Peru (30%, +2 pts.) and Germany (58%, +2 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines in this wave: Chile (46%, -7 pts.), Italy (15%, -4 pts.), Argentina (20%, -3 pts.), Canada (42%, -3 pts.), China (72%, -3 pts.), India (55%, -3 pts.) and South Africa (20%, -3 pts.).

Global Average of Future Outlook for Local Economy (29%) Unchanged

The future outlook is down one point since last sounding, with nearly one third (29%) of global citizens surveyed in 28 countries expecting their local economy to be stronger six months from now.

Saudi Arabia (61%) is at the top of this assessment category this wave, followed by China (59%), India (57%), Chile (55%), Brazil (54%), Peru (52%), Argentina (37%), the United States (37%), Mexico (35%), South Korea (33%) and Turkey (29%). Italy (10%) has the lowest future outlook score this month, followed by France (11%), Japan (12%), Belgium (12%), Hungary (15%), Sweden (16%), Israel (17%), Spain (17%), Canada (18) and Germany (18%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: South Korea (33%, +9 pts.), Great Britain (19%, +7 pts.), Poland (27%, +5 pts.), Turkey (29%, +4 pts.), Saudi Arabia (61%, +4 pts.), the United States (37%, +3 pts.), Malaysia (26%, +3 pts.), Australia (19%, +3 pts.), Sweden (16%, +2 pts.), Mexico (35%, +2 pts.) and China (59%, +2 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines in this wave: Hungary (15%, -16 pts.), Argentina (37%, -5 pts.), Italy (10%, -5 pts.), Russia (19%, -5 pts.), South Africa (25%, -5 pts.), Chile (55%, -4 pts.), Spain (17%, -4 pts.), Belgium (12%, -3 pts.) and Israel (17%, -2 pts.).