Global Scans · Economy · Weekly Summary

DRIVER: The global economy still faces serious headwinds and political uncertainty potentially balanced by the enormous promise of technological advancements in many fields. Read on to get a solid handle on the opportunities and risks you and your organization may likely face and set your sails accordingly.

• [New] Financial heavyweight JP Morgan has issued some of the most bullish forecasts yet, projecting gold prices could reach $6,000 per ounce by 2028, with an average of $5,055 by the end of 2026. Grand Pinnacle Tribune
• [New] By 2040 AI will be the single greatest driver of global economic power. Social Art Signal
• [New] By 2025, IoT devices could consume 3.5% of global electricity - more than the entire current consumption of Japan and Germany combined. Futurist Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Work, Futu
• [New] The Internet of Things could have an annual economic impact of $5.5 trillion to $12.6 trillion globally by 2030. Futurist Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Work, Futu
• [New] The economic impact of agentic AI systems could reach $15.7 trillion by 2030, with the most significant gains coming from productivity improvements in knowledge work and complex decision-making. Futurist Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Work, Futu
• [New] By 2026, over 80% of enterprises will have deployed generative AI-enabled applications in production environments, up from less than 5% in early 2023. Futurist Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Work, Futu
• [New] If current and proposed national and international policies are implemented and fully legislated, global biofuel use and production would double by 2035. Truthout
• [New] The global space economy was valued at $423 billion in 2022 and is projected to triple to $1.8 trillion by 2035. investing.com
• [New] Household tax cuts (tips, overtime, etc.) and increased investment incentives could moderately lift growth, before spending cuts bite later this decade. investing.com
• [New] As Europe retools its economy and defence posture, investors should watch for volatility but also recognise the upside potential in sectors aligned with fiscal stimulus and strategic investment. M-Wealth
• [New] Political instability is rising, with populist parties gaining ground in Germany, France, and the UK, threatening fiscal cohesion and policy continuity. M-Wealth
• [New] The cash generation trajectory toward $189 billion by 2030 underscores rare wealth creation. Gadget Hacks
• [New] The G20 meeting in South Africa will not resolve the structural tensions reshaping global politics and economics. RUSSIA'S PIVOT TO ASIA
• [New] Two decades ago, the U.S., EU, and G7 economies could plausibly claim uncontested leadership in international economic policy-making. RUSSIA'S PIVOT TO ASIA
• [New] Restoring capital flows is a once-in-a-generation opportunity: it will allow Africa to harness its natural resources to lift millions out of energy poverty, drive industrialization and secure its energy future, all while strengthening global energy security. Pan African Visions
• [New] The AEC's 2026 Outlook projects oil and gas production to reach 11.4 million barrels per day by 2026, growing toward 13.6 million bpd by 2030 as exploration gains momentum in frontier basins. Pan African Visions
• [New] The ECB is quite hawkish on growth, believing GDP growth will be weaker in 2026 than in 2025, while at the same time believing that inflation will fall as low as 1.7% in 2026. Morningstar, Inc.
• [New] Goldman Sachs expects the ECB to maintain its deposit rate at 2% through 2026, unless inflation softens sharply. Morningstar, Inc.
• [New] The WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM actually forecasts 78 MILLION more jobs will be CREATED by AI rather than lost to it. KOCO
• [New] The Bank of England has held interest rates steady at 4%, balancing inflation risks with slowing growth. M-Wealth
• [New] The price increase was expected to be turbocharged once US semiconductor giant Nvidia started using LPDDR4 chips in its AI servers to lower power consumption. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Memory chip prices were forecast to increase 30% in the fourth quarter in 2025 and a further 20% in 2026, following a 50% surge year to date. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Out of a defence budget of nearly a trillion US dollars, the share allocated to AI is 13.4 billion for fiscal year 2026. Institut Montaigne

Last updated: 25 November 2025