Abstract
The world economy in 2017 outperformed most predictions. However, headwinds loom large. February 5th saw the steepest stock market decline in the United States in six and a half years, and investors worldwide are worried that the Trump administration’s ‘America First’ worldview could lead to protectionism.
At the same time, the potential for political conflict has been increased by the emergence of North Korea as a nuclear power and by China’s growing presence in the South China Sea. Closer to home, political uncertainty has also risen – voters in Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand are expected to go to the polls this year. In Malaysia, the return of Mahathir as the leader of the Opposition and the seeming disconnect between GDP growth and the standard of living have added to the political uncertainty.
How would these developments affect the global economy and ASEAN in 2018? Join our panel of experts as they attempt to answer the question: “What lies ahead in 2018?”
