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] AI's overall contribution to the global economy will hit $15.7 trillion by 2030, significantly boosting GDP and productivity. FinancialContent
• [New] AI is projected to add $13 trillion to the global economy by 2030, increasing global GDP by approximately 1.2% annually. FinancialContent
• [New] High-tech levels: AI, Green Energy, Healthcare, Fintech and E-commerce will grow explosively in the following decades, developing jobs and investments and redefining the world economy. Global Radiance Review
• [New] In 2025, we will see an acceleration in the widespread use of AI to reduce costs, increase efficiency and better serve customers by ramping up production faster than ever. Global Radiance Review
• [New] Stringent climate policies designed to avoid temporarily exceeding 1.5 °C warming could prevent hundreds of thousands of premature deaths while avoiding trillions of dollars in economic damages. EurekAlert!
• [New] Due to the economic growth above its potential, OECD argued, the Brazilian government must contain current fiscal expansion through structural reforms, such as reforming automatic spending rules and public pensions and social benefits for long-term fiscal stability. United States Department of State
• [New] The debt / GDP ratio will rise to around 81% by the end of 2025, according to the Independent Fiscal Institute, linked to the Brazilian Senate; according to the Brazilian Treasury, the debt / GDP ratio will reach 81% only in 2027. United States Department of State
• [New] Google plans to invest $15 billion over the next five years to construct a major AI infrastructure hub in southern India, diversifying the geographic footprint of critical AI resources. Medium
• [New] So potential new export controls mean that every economy may have to start negotiating bilaterally with China to secure supplies, which raises the risk of supply chain disruption across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. Morgan Stanley
• [New] Challenges Ahead Despite progress, several structural challenges persist in global commodity markets: Supply Chain Fragmentation: Geopolitical rivalries threaten trade connectivity. TradingView
• [New] Electricity demand from data centers worldwide is set to more than double by 2030 to around 945 terawatt-hours - slightly more than the current entire electricity consumption of Japan. ST
• [New] Indonesia's digital economy grew to US$ 82 billion in 2023 and is expected to exceed US$ 110 billion by 2025, supported by more than 80% digital payment adoption and fintech lending that surpassed US$ 10 billion in 2024. ASEAN Business News
• [New] Washington could force allies to hit China with their own trade restrictions, denying exporters the ability to offset reduced shipments to the U.S. and further isolating China from advanced economies. Fortune
• [New] The Metropolitan Park casino could have a profound impact on New York's economy. Travel And Tour World
• [New] Contained inflation and an accommodative Fed reduce the chances that long-term interest rates surge, another key risk given the rising cost to service the U.S. government's huge and growing debt load. Oak Partners, Inc.
• [New] The outlook for non-OPEC + supply growth has marginally increased, to 1.6 mb/d in 2025 and 1.2 mb/d in 2026, mostly due to improved operational efficiency in Brazil and resilient oil production from the United States. IEA
• [New] Beyond hydrogen, Microsoft's deals for over 10 GW of new wind and solar generation by 2030 underpin the world's largest single renewable electricity purchase agreement, an investment that aims to match - or even surpass - its consumption across major data center operations by 2030. Bizclik Media Ltd
• [New] Goldman Sachs analysts, for instance, contend that the AI boom is still in its nascent stages, with current investment levels modest compared to the potential $20 trillion economic payoff expected from widespread AI adoption. FinancialContent
• [New] China's strategic push into technology, clean energy, and innovation suggests it will remain a global economic force. Advisorpedia
• [New] The energy and mineral resources ministry is developing a roadmap for sustainable aviation fuel blending, with a gradual increase to 5% by 2035. ADM Investor Services
• [New] Economic inequality was flagged as a top-five barrier to building socially cohesive cities, with 42% of Malaysian leaders prioritising expanding economic opportunities and entrepreneurship to create future-ready urban environments. BusinessToday
• [New] The economic ramifications of AMR on a global scale are substantial, with projections indicating that it could lead to approximately 24 million individuals falling into severe poverty by the year 2030. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Global electricity consumption by data centers will more than double between 2024 and 2030, reaching an astonishing 945 terawatt-hours - a power demand equivalent to that of Japan. Bizclik Media Ltd

Last updated: 21 October 2025