Some of the world's biggest economies are on the brink of recession

[Algernon Moncrieff]

Source: CNN

Take Japan: The world's third-largest economy shrank 1.6% in the fourth quarter of 2019 as the country absorbed the effects of a sales tax hike and a powerful typhoon. It was biggest contraction compared to the previous quarter since 2014.

Then there's Germany. The biggest economy in Europe ground to a halt right before the coronavirus outbreak set in, dragged down by the country's struggling factories. The closely-watched ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment in Germany decreased sharply for February, reflecting fears that the virus could hit world trade.

Bank of America economist Ethan Harris points to the number of smaller economies that are hurting, too. Hong Kong is in recession and Singapore could soon suffer a similar fate. Fourth quarter GDP data from Indonesia hit a three-year low, while Malaysia had its worst reading in a decade, he noted to clients on Friday.

Meanwhile, engines of growth like China and India slowed in 2019. Fourth quarter GDP data for the latter comes out this week.


Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/some-of-the-worlds-biggest-economies-are-on-the-brink-of-recession/ar-BB10il8F?ocid=ientp

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Not looking good...

[pbmus]

1. Recession and deflation for the next president...

[HubertHeaver]

2. Envision, if you will, a bunch on drunks staggering down the street,

arms interlocked in order to keep each other up. One stumbles and goes down. The rest of them can't disengage fast enough to stay upright.

[sandensea]

3. Well put. Shades of 2008 alright.

[Skittles]

12. that picture epitomizes his entire presidency

what a fucking moron

[sandensea]

13. "If he wins, expect war and recession," I told a Repug friend of mine in '99.

He scoffed.

[Skittles]

14. OMG sandensea

I was in England at the time and when people found out lived in Texas they asked me about Dubya - I told them it will be recession and endless war - yes INDEED

[sandensea]

17. Well, hey. Great minds think alike.

[berni_mccoy]

4. Coronavirus will push us over the edge. Prepare for bear markets

And a full on global recession.

[maddogesq]

5. Yup, the virus thing may be the straw that...

broke an already breaking camel!s back.

I correctly forecast 3008, and what I see coming now may be as bad because we haven’t learned from our mistakes.

Hate to keep saying this but The Fed is in a box if things really go south here in Donnybrookiatan. And the market fall today, IMHO, is just the beginning of a correction that is not for the faint of heart.

[patphil]

18. I think you're right.

[essaynnc]

6. Just in time for the Democrats to come in and clean up the mess...... AGAIN!!!! n/t

[flibbitygiblets]

9. and get blamed for the mess...again

and just when things start to straighten up...the next R gets elected, and takes all the credit..again

and then when the R's are in control, they blow up the economy...again

wash, rinse, repeat.

Americans have the collective memories of a bowl of goldfish.

[SergeStorms]

11. Taxes will need to be increased.

Democrats have no qualms about that because it needs to be done. The 1%'s gravy train has reached the station. Then, when Democrats get the economy somewhat stabilized, another republican "trickle down" asshole will be installed in another stolen election, and the circuit will be completed again.

As Homer Simpson would say in his 'full head of hair' dream, "Lather, rinse, repeat. Always repeat."

[EndlessWire]

20. I'm wary of socialism

Please don't yell at me about Democratic socialism. I want sound fiscal programs, and candidates that explain how we can pay for stuff. But I want people taken care of, and I think that if we want some of that weird stuff, like $1,000 income to every citizen, or a Mercedes in every driveway, or anything else, then we can do what we want. We just have to have a plan for what we want. The money has to come from somewhere.

Whoever gets elected, the Dems have got to revisit the tax code and make it a lot fairer, and none of this no-taxes-for-the-top-one-percent crap. I don't mind other people having a bunch of money. But, they have to pay their fair share. So, undoing Donald's gift to his kind should be a "do first" mission.

[SergeStorms]

24. I agree 100%.

King Donnie the Orange's give-away to the top 1% and corporate welfare have to stop, day one. What does it say about our tax system when a clerk at the local convenience store is paying more in taxes than Amazon? Donnie's deal with corporations was to giver them a huge tax break, but they had to take that money and buy back stocks instead of letting it "trickle down". Trump still believes the benchmark for a great economy is stock prices. It all comes to an end sometime. There can't be a permanent Bull Market. Their house of cards is about to fall down around their ankles.

[Strelnikov_]

19. Agree n/t

[PatSeg]

7. Anyone who didn't see this coming,

was either in denial or wasn't paying attention. Trump has contributed his fair share to this mess. I suppose if the economy tanks before November, he'll find a way to blame Obama or Democrats.

[EndlessWire]

21. He appears

to just say anything that pops into his brain. He lives in an alternate universe.

[PatSeg]

22. Yes, it is the most bizarre thing

I've ever seen in someone over the age of ten.

[cstanleytech]

8. So we are just clear folks we should "NOT" call it the Trump Recession as its not really his.

Rather we should be calling the coming recession the Republican Recession as the Senate and House Republicans are ultimately responsible for the mess from their economic bungling over the past 40+ odd years.

[Hassler]

10. The sooner the better. Better before November 3 then after.

[IronLionZion]

15. Good thing we have competent leadership in charge of the US government at least

[NBachers]

16. Just in time for the republicans to scream "SEE SEE ELECT A DEMOCRAT AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENS!"

[zentrum]

23. Unregulated Capitalism creates

.....boom and bust. Over and over and over. It's the nature of the beast. The richest survive the busts, however and often profit from them.