Some stats from an article today by Barney Gimbel called The New New World Order.

The 54 developing markets surveyed by Global Insight will post a 6.7% jump in real GDP this year

• down from 7.5% last year
• The 31 developed countries will grow an estimated 1.6%

The middle class in China is expected to multiply sevenfold by 2020

• to 700 million people

The middle class of India is expected to multiply by tenfold

• to 583 million people

New homes require building materials

Since 2000 the prices of steel, oil, and copper quadrupled

Wal-Mart's (WMT, Fortune 500) international sales grew 17.5% this year

• triple the US
• now constitute 24% of the company's total revenue, up from 8.9% a decade ago

Inflation

India inflation rose to above 8% in May

• below 4% last August

Chinese inflation was 7.7% in May

• up from 1% in early 2006

Ukraine and Venezuela see inflation at 30%
Vietnam is experiencing 25% inflation