The Economic Pulse of the World - May 2016

Global Economic Pulse Welcomes Malta This Month

• While only four in ten (39%) of respondents around the world rate their national economies as ‘good’; an overwhelming majority (89%) of respondents in Malta think the same of their national economy.
• Nearly two thirds (60%) of Maltese citizens rate the state of the current economy in their local area is ‘good’, compared to the global average of 30%.
• Six-month outlook for Malta (24%) is in line with the global average (25%).

Global Average of National Economic Assessment Up One Point: 39%

The average global economic assessment of national economies surveyed in 25 countries is up one point with 39% of global citizens rating their national economies as ‘good’.

Erasing last month’s loss, Saudi Arabia (91%) once again is at the top in the national economic assessment category, followed by India (80%), Germany (73%), Sweden (68%), China (65%), Australia (59%), Peru (54%) and Canada (52%). Brazil (7%) remains at the bottom of the national assessment, followed by France (13%), South Korea (13%), Italy (14%), Spain (14%), Hungary (16%), South Africa (17%) and Argentina (17%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: Australia (59%, +7 pts.), South Africa (17%, +6 pts.), Saudi Arabia (91%, +5 pts.), Great Britain (44%, +5 pts.), Russia (28%, +3 pts.), Canada (52%, +3 pts.) and Belgium (36%, +3 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines: Israel (42%, -10 pts.), Hungary (16%, -6 pts.), Poland (31%, -5 pts.), Mexico (20%, -4 pts.), China (65%, -2 pts.) and Japan  (19%, -2 pts.). 

Global Average of Local Economic Assessment (30%) Up One Point

When asked to assess their local economy, an average of 30% of those surveyed in 25 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 month.

Saudi Arabia (68%) has the top spot in the local assessment category, followed by India (57%), Sweden (57%), Israel (55%), China (54%), Germany (51%), the United States (40%), Australia (39%) and Canada (33%). Japan (11%) dropped to the lowest spot this month, followed by South Korea (12%), Spain (12%), Italy (14%), Brazil (14%), Hungary (15%), France (16%), South Africa (17%) and Argentina (18%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: Saudi Arabia (68%, +9 pts.), South Africa (17%, +8 pts.), Mexico (24%, +8 pts.), Great Britain (30%, +6 pts.), Australia (39%, +6 pts.), Poland (25%, +3 pts.), Peru (25%, +3 pts.) and France (16%, +3 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines in this wave: Israel (55%, -4 pts.), Germany (51%, -3 pts.), Hungary (15%, -2 pts.), China (54%, -1 pts.), Japan (111%, -1 pts.) and Spain (12%, -1 pts.).

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

The future outlook is up one point since last month, with an average of one quarter (25%) of global citizens surveyed in 25 countries expecting their local economy to be stronger six months from now.

Making it a clean sweep, Saudi Arabia (62%) tops this assessment category as well, followed by India (59%), Argentina (59%), Peru (58%), Brazil (54%), China (44%), the United States (29%), Mexico (27%), Turkey (24%) and Russia (22%). Japan (7%), has the lowest future outlook score this month, followed by France (8%), Italy (9%), Hungary (9%), Belgium (11%), South Korea (12%), Great Britain (12%) and Germany (13%).

Countries with the greatest improvements in this wave: Saudi Arabia (62%, +11 pts.), Peru (58%, +11 pts.), Argentina (59%, +6 pts.), Israel (14%, +5 pts.), Belgium (11%, +4 pts.), Australia (18%, +4 pts.), Sweden (14%, +3 pts.) and South Africa (18%, +3 pts.).

Countries with the greatest declines in this wave: China (44%, -5 pts.), Spain (14%, -5 pts.), India (59%, -4 pts.), Hungary (9%, -3 pts.), Japan (7%, -3 pts.), Turkey (24%, -3 pts.), Germany (13%, -2 pts.), Italy (9%, -2 pts.) and Poland (16%, -2 pts.).

Citizens in 25 Countries Assess the Current State of their Country’s Economy for a Total Global Perspective.