Economic forecast is the process of estimating future economic outcomes using data and methods from past experiences. It is a common practice in many industries. It helps companies plan and make decisions. For example, a company might use forecasting to see when they will need more materials or employees. This will allow them to prepare for the future and avoid any problems. It also helps them save money by not overproducing products.
A good economic forecast must incorporate a wide range of variables in order to be useful. Moreover, many of these variables are interrelated in complex ways. This is especially true of investment spending, which can be affected by both cyclical and structural factors. In addition, the properties of the underlying economic process can be difficult to observe and represent precisely. This is a challenge even for the most intrepid economists.
The current outlook for global growth is subdued, reflecting heightened downside risks to the economic recovery. These risks include the possibility that trade barriers continue to rise, exacerbated by US-China tensions, or elevated global policy uncertainty. A re-escalation of armed conflicts and tighter global financial conditions would further dampen growth.