I have been asked to give a perspective on the international economy. This is something of a change of gear from most of the other presentations you have heard today, and as I set out to prepare these remarks I wondered what I might say that would retain your attention.
On reflection, however, I think the current state of the world economy is of quite some interest for those who are involved in the financial services sector. Moreover, there are some long-run trends where the financial services sector’s role will be critical. I’d like to explore some of these issues briefly in the time available.