The Economic Pulse of the World - December 2018

When asked to assess their local economy, one third (34%) 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 down two points since last sounding.

Saudi Arabia (71%) is the top country in the local assessment category this month, followed by China (65%), Germany (61%), Israel (56%), Sweden (55%), the United States (55%), India (49%), Chile (44%), Australia (43%) and Canada (41%). South Africa (14%) remains the lowest ranked country this month again, followed by Serbia (15%), Japan (15%), South Korea (16%), Argentina (16%), Turkey (18%), Spain (19%), France (19%), Italy (21%), Russia (22%), Hungary (23%) and Brazil (23%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: Spain (19%, +4 pts.), Saudi Arabia (71%, +4 pts.), South Africa (14%, +3 pts.), Mexico (26%, +2 pts.), Argentina (16%, +2 pts.), Germany (61%, +1 pts.), Brazil (23%, +1 pts.), Hungary (23%, +1 pts.), Russia (22%, +1 pts.) and the France (19%, +1 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines in this wave: China (65%, -16 pts.), Canada (41%, -7 pts.), India (49%, -5 pts.), Turkey (18%, -5 pts.), Chile (44%, -5 pts.), Sweden (55%, -5 pts.), Belgium (31%, -3 pts.), Peru (35%, -3 pts.), Italy (21%, -3 pts.), Israel (56%, -3 pts.), Serbia (15%, -2 pts.), Japan (15%, -2 pts.), Great Britain (32%, -2 pts.) and Poland (36%, -2 pts.).

Global Average of Future Outlook for Local Economy (27%) Down One Point

The future outlook is down one point since last sounding, with over one quarter (27%) of global citizens surveyed in 28 countries expecting their local economy to be stronger six months from now.

Saudi Arabia (68%) is at the top of this assessment category this month, followed by, Brazil (63%), Mexico (56%), Peru (53%), China (51%), India (51%), Chile (43%), Argentina (40%), the United States (28%), Malaysia (26%) and Poland (24%). France (6%) has the lowest future outlook score this month once again, followed by Belgium (7%), Japan (10%), Great Britain (12%), Serbia (14%), Hungary (14%), Russia (14%), South Korea (14%), Canada (14%) and Israel (15%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: Mexico (56%, +17 pts.), Sweden (16%, +6 pts.), Argentina (40%, +5 pts.), Peru (53%, +4 pts.), Spain (17%, +2 pts.), Serbia (14%, +2 pts.), Australia (18%, +2 pts.), South Africa (20%, +1 pts.) and Hungary (14%, +1 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines in this wave: China (51%, -23 pts.), Malaysia (26%, -9 pts.), Canada (14%, -6 pts.), Chile (43%, -6 pts.), Brazil (63%, -4 pts.), Turkey (21%, -4 pts.), the United States (28%, -4 pts.), India (51%, -3 pts.), Israel (15%, -3 pts.), Italy (17%, -3 pts.), Poland (24%, -3 pts.) and South Korea (14%, -3 pts.).