Donald Trump Global Economy Effects In Brief

Donald Trump and Global Economy

First Published Date: November 17, 2016

The global economy was already on a rough ride due to low consumer confidence and business, weak investments and depressed commodity markets, rising debt and low interest rates, and much more. And now, to add more to the rough ride, the surprise victory of Donald Trump is another integer in the equation. Here are some of the concerns that can derail the global economy further in the Trump era.

Author/Copyright: Ahmed Dawn www.adawnjournal.com

China

Imposing a 45 percent tariff on Chinese imported goods. This will make everything more expensive for consumers (goods made in USA also use Chinese materials) and China might retaliate with similar tariff on US imports. In the end, everyone in the globe will be a loser.

Mexico

Mexico has the most to lose if Trump does what he said he would do. Dismantling NAFTA, slapping a 35 percent tariff, rounding up illegal immigrants, and possibly more will have economic impacts on Mexico and in the US as well.

Canada

Canada actually can both gain and lose from Trump’s presidency. Cancelling or renegotiating the TTIP and NAFTA agreements are both negatives. However, approving the Keystone XL Pipeline would allow shipment of bitumen from Alberta to the U.S. and would be definitely a plus.

Trump has argued that by neglecting national debt by cutting taxes for the wealthy, cutting regulations, and reducing imports he can make the GDP grow 4 percent (from 2 percent currently). However, analysts disagree. Many believe that adopting Trump’s proposals on trades, taxes, immigration and government spending would destroy millions of jobs and the U.S. economy will be isolated and diminished.

Also, US dollars are still the main reserve currency in the world and only the US Federal Reserve is responsible for the supply. If Trump tries to influence the Fed’s policies and interest rates, it will create havoc both in the U.S. and global economy.

Canada Is One of The World’s Best Countries to Grow Old In

Canada Stays in Top 5 Countries to Grow Old In

First Published Date: Oct 13, 2013

Rcent study co-sponsored by the UN created Global AgeWatch Index by looking at 91 countries covering 89% of the world’s older citizens. The Index ranks older population in terms of social and economic well-being and is the first of its kind. Canada ranks high on this index, staying on 5th place. Sweden is on top of the list and Afghanistan on the bottom. Let’s look at the top ten countries:

1.   Sweden

2.   Norway

3.   Germany

4.   Netherlands

5.   Canada

6.   Switzerland

7.   New Zealand

8.   United States

9.   Iceland

10.   Japan

Here are some other facts from the report:

– The world’s envy, Canada’s universal health care system, generous old age benefits, and long life expectancy helped to achieve its 5th position.

– Countries like Sri Lanka, Bolivia, and Mauritius stay relatively high on the list, while countries like India, Pakistan, Russia stay on the lower side.

– Population ageing is happening faster in the poor developing countries. Two-thirds of the older population live in poor countries.

– South Korea, one of the richest and technologically advanced countries in Asia, surprisingly stays low on the index at 67.

– Bangladesh, a model for one of the world’s worst industrial disasters, is not on the list due to lack of old age data.

– By 2050, older population (older than 60) will outnumber younger population (younger than 15).

Downsides and Upsides of Free Trade, Global Economy, and China Spillover

OECD Cuts Global Economy Outlook

First Published Date: October 15, 2016

The International Monetary Fund, or IMF, recently mentioned in a report that spillovers from China could hamper the global economy. China should consider taking various steps, including a liberal approach on the Yuan and revamping weak firms.

A freer floating exchange rate and transparent policy change mechanism are a must for China to improve its economy and stop global spillovers. Also, the IMF cautions against China’s protectionist policies. Protectionist measures will likely depress global trade and economy in the short term and also in the long run.

Author/Copyright: Ahmed Dawn www.adawnjournal.com

Harvard Economics professor Kenneth Rogoff recently told the BBC that China is the biggest threat to the global economy and that the economy is slowing down more than official figures. After triple-digit growth for years, the IMF predicts the expected economic growth rate to be only 6.6 percent this year.

OECD Downgrades Canada Economy

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, also downgrades the global and Canadian economy. The growth rate was lowered to 1.2 percent from 1.7 percent for Canada. The prediction for 2017 Canadian economy is down to 3.2 percent from a previous 3.3 percent, which is not that bad.

The world economy is expected to grow 2.9 percent in 2016. The earlier forecast for 2016 was 3.1 percent. The OECD believes a slowdown in international trade generating from Asia is the main reason for the global economic slowdown.

Downsides and Upsides of Free Trade

Also, the rise of anti-free trade movements in Western countries, such as recently seen in the Brexit vote in Britain and in the Trump movement in the U.S., do not paint a pretty picture for global growth. The downsides of freer global trade, such as losing jobs to China, are easy to see and the upsides, such as lower prices, more choices, etc., are harder to see.

The Best and Worst Cities to Live in the World

Canadian Cities Are Among the Top Ten

First Published Date: September 5, 2016

The Economic Intelligence Unit recently released its report called Global Livability Ranking. This report assesses the best and worst cities to live across the globe. Cities were ranked on categories such as stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure, culture and environment based on 30 factors. However, cost of living was excluded.

The top ten cities are:

1. Melbourne, Australia

2. Vienna, Austria

3. Vancouver, Canada

4. Toronto, Canada

5. Adelaide, Australia

6. Calgary, Canada

7. Perth, Australia

8. Auckland, New Zealand

9. Helsinki, Finland

10. Hamburg, Germany

Six of the top ten cities are in Canada and Australia.

The most improved cities are Tehran in Iran, Dubai in United Arab Emirates, and Harare in Zimbabwe.

Some of the biggest declined cities are Damascus in Syria and Kiev in the Ukraine

Author/Copyright: Ahmed Dawn www.adawnjournal.com

Ranked at the bottom, the worst cities to live are Damascus, Syria, followed by Tripoli, Libya, Lagos in Nigeria, Dhaka in Bangladesh, and Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

One important thing to point out is that Canada is the only country in North America that is on the top ten of the report. However, this is not the only report that puts Canada in the top. There are several other reports, for example, Mercer Quality of Living, UN Human Development Index, World Economic Forum are just only a few to mention that consistently put Canada at the top, beating any other country in North America and in line with a few other top-ranking countries the world.

Only Because Canada Is the Best Country in the World

Canada – The Best Place on Earth

First Published Date : June 29, 2011

I have been contemplating writing about Canada’s being the best country on earth for a while. However, due to the volume of the good things about Canada to mention, I have been putting it off because I would have to write a book if I wanted to cover everything. Finally, instead of writing by myself, I took a short cut and gathered some of the rankings done by well-known and reputable organizations. Here is how it stands:

According to OECD’s Better Life Index, Canada ranks high in all measures of well being and Life in Canada Is Better Than Most Other Industrialized Countries.

According to The Economist Intelligent Unit’s Global Liveability Report, 3-4 Canadian cities are always in the top ten and Vancouver is usually always the world’s most liveable city.

According to Mercer 2010 Quality of Living Survey, several Canadian cities are always on the top and top five North American cities are Canadian – no cities from the U.S. can be found in the top 25.

According to the UN Human Development Index, which measures quality of life in countries around the world, Canada is one of the world’s best places to live and is always in the top ten.

According to The Heritage Foundations’ 2011 Index of Economic Freedom, Canada is the 6th freest country in the world.

According to the Vision of Humanity’s 2011 Global Peace Index, Canada is the 8th most peaceful country in the world.

According to The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011, Canada is in the top ten.

According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2010, Canada is one of the least corrupt nations on earth.

These are only a few to mention. Any way you look at Canada, using any reports or indexes, it is in the top ten consistently year after year. A point worth mentioning is that you will not find our big brother in the south in the top in most of these rankings. Canada is a multi-racial, multi-cultural, and multi-linguistic country. Canada’s diversified backgrounds and cultures make it more unique than any other country on earth. Canada is the first country in the world to declare itself a multicultural country and in 1982 Canada added multiculturalism to its constitution. Canada recognizes, values, and protects its citizens’ diversity and human rights and treats each individual with respect, equality, and dignity. Canada is like nowhere else on earth and this is because Canada is the best country in the world