Prospects 2021 Update

The economy rebounded well from the pandemic's first year but economic and political headwinds threaten the recovery

The COVID-19 crisis is keeping the government under pressure

Ruling Liberals could win widely expected federal election later this year by default as third wave of COVID-19 recedes

The government's 2021 growth forecast of 2.9% may even be too pessimistic though downside risks could still derail it

Central America remains gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic and will suffer from its effects for the foreseeable future

The coming months in politics will be dominated by internal Democratic efforts to ensure support for the party's agenda

Early elections in late 2021 or early 2022 are possible, but guaranteed to be far from free and fair

The authorities are labouring over the complexities of engineering an election win, even though there is no opposition

East Asia’s economies are rebounding and its governments adjusting to the presence of a new US administration

The government is facing myriad challenges that it will struggle to manage effectively

The new president will focus on economic restoration, including through US nuclear talks

Resurgent spending and loose policies are fuelling demand, but supply strains pose risks and many EMDCs are lagging