The Economic Pulse of the World - April 2015

Spotlight on this month’s winner and loser:

• Saudi Arabia is the winner this month, despite sluggish oil prices and ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East region surrounding the military action in Yemen. Saudi Arabia’s national economic aggregate improves one point to 93% - highest among all countries this wave.

• On the other end, Brazil slides to the bottom of the national economic assessment, with only one in 10 (11%) respondents rating their national economy as “good” – the lowest position ever since the start of the Global @dvisor Economic Pulse measurement.

Global Average of National Economic Assessment Up Two Points: 41%

Breaking the negative trend of the past two months, the average global economic assessment of national economies surveyed in 24 countries is up two points as 41% of global citizens rate their national economies to be ‘good’.

Saudi Arabia (93%) tops the national economic assessment again, followed by India (82%), China (79%), Germany (74%), Sweden (66%), and Canada (57 %). At the opposite end of the assessment are Italy (10%), Brazil (11%), France (11%), Spain (12%), South Korea (14%) and Hungary (19%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: Mexico (30%, +14 pts.), Israel (46%, +12 pts.), South Africa (25%, +7 pts.), Hungary (19%, +6 pts.), China (79%, +4 pts.), Argentina (29%, +4 pts.), Australia (54%, +3 pts.), Great Britain (51%, +3 pts.), India (82%, +2 pts.) and France (11%, +2 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines: Belgium (35%, -6 pts.), Germany (74%, -5 pts.), Canada (57%, -4 pts.), Sweden (66%, -3 pts.), Turkey (36%, -3 pts) and Spain (12%, -1 pts.). 

Global Average of Local Economic Assessment (31%) Unchanged

When asked to assess their local economies, 31% agree the state of the current economy in their local area is ‘good,’ on the global aggregate level. The local economic assessment unchanged since last sounding.

No change at the top, as Saudi Arabia (72%) remains at the top of the local economic assessment, followed by China (63%), Germany (53%), India (53%), Israel (51%), Sweden (51%) and the United States (39%). One in 10 (11%) assess their local economy as ‘good’ in Italy and South Korea, followed by France (12%), Spain (13%), Hungary (14%), Mexico (15%) and South Africa (16%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: China (63%, +7 pts.), Israel (51%, +2 pts.), Mexico (16%, +2 pts.), Hungary (14%, +1 pts.), France (12%, +1 pts.) and South Korea (11%, +1 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines: Turkey (30%, -8 pts.), India (53%, -5 pts.), Russia (27%, -3 pts.), Belgium (20%, -3 pts.), Germany (53%, -2 pts.), Sweden (51%, -2 pts.), Canada (35%, -2 pts.), Poland (20%, -2 pts.) and Brazil (18%, -2 pts.).

Global Average of Future Outlook for Local Economy (25%) Up One Point

The future outlook average gains one point, as one quarter (25%) of global citizens expect their local economy will be stronger six months from now.

With a narrow margin, India (59%) remains in the lead of the future outlook assessment, followed by Saudi Arabia (58%), Brazil (53%), China (50%), Argentina (33%), Mexico (30%) and the United States (27%). A small minority in France (7%) expect their local economy to be strong six months from now, followed by Belgium (11%), Hungary (11%), South Korea (12%), Italy (13%), South Africa (13%), Germany (16%) and Sweden (16%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: Mexico (30%, +5 pts.), Poland (20%, +5 pts.), Australia (18%, +5 pts.), Sweden (16%, +5 pts.), Israel (18%, +3 pts.),  and South Korea (12%, +3 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines: India (59%, -8 pts.), Saudi Arabia (58%, -8 pts.), the United States (27%, -2 pts.) and Russia (25%, -1 pts.).