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
Working Thoughts 