Screenshot of lecture at Baltic Sea Day

Baltic Sea Region/Emerging Markets & China Day – experts explain the global economy

On October 14, the Global Mind Knowledge Platform at the Linnaeus School of Business and Economics hosted another of its annual conferences with main focus on emerging markets. Advanced countries are also illuminated as far as their conditions may have an impact on emerging countries.

We are getting close to the 20th anniversary of the Baltic Sea Region / Emerging Markets & China Day. Around 100 persons attended the conference, mainly students but also a couple of LNU-researchers and journalists. Professor Per Servais chaired the conference and professor Hubert Fromlet introduced the speakers and organized the Q&A questions.                                                                                                       

Speakers at this year’s conference were:

¤  Henry Ohlsson, Professor and Vice Governor of the Sveriges Riksbank (mainly discussing inflation, the economic fight against corona and the Swedish economy),

¤  Nerijus Maciulis, Associate Professor and Chief Economist Swedbank / Lituania (presented mainly the Baltic countries and Russia),

¤  Adolfo Laurenti, PhD Principal European Economist , Visa London (presented the U.S. – an economic outlook with impact on emerging markets),

¤  Lena Sellgren, Chief Economist Business Sweden (presented mainly international and Swedish trade issues),

¤  Hubert Fromlet, LNU (presenting the global competition between China and India).

Important conclusions by the speakers

  • Europe is on a nice recovery track – good demand but problems  from supply side shortages”.

  • “U.S. well above pre-pandemic GDP level”.                                                                   
  • “There are divided views on the issue whether the currently rising global inflation should be regarded as a temporary problem or not.”
  • “Global recovery is well on its way but the pandemic is not over”

  • “Insufficient vaccination shares still give harm to many emerging markets.” 
     
  • “World trade is currently strongly distorted – by supply shortages of commodities (energy), intermediate goods (semiconductors), transports, etc”.

  • “The Russian economy has fully recovered”.

  • “GDP growth of the Baltic countries will probably remain above trend”.

  • “China vs. India – still not visible who will be the economic winner in the long run” (different structural challenges still in place).

  • “Sharp rise in food prices drives inflation in emerging countries”

  • “Politics play an increasingly important role in (emerging) country analysis”.

  • “Micro developments may have a major impact on macro trends”