Mar 7, 2017

Don't get too excited about the global economy

The global economy has perked up over the last six months, with economic growth in Europe and China in particular surprising investors with their relative strength. This has helped drive stock prices higher, but the OECD warned market participants Tuesday that the good news may not last.

Data: OECD, Consensus Economics, Thomson Reuters; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon / Axios
Data: OECD, Consensus Economics, Thomson Reuters; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon / Axios

Though growth forecasts are up slightly in the U.S. and Europe, they've actually fallen in Japan. Meanwhile, investors in the U.S. are facing the prospect of much higher interest rates, which will put a damper on stock prices. "In financial markets, there are apparent disconnects between the positive assessment of economic prospects reflected in market valuations and forecasts for the real economy," the OECD said

Why it matters: The OECD says the stock market has gotten ahead of itself of late. They're not predicting a crash, but absent better hard data, we should expect the rally to fade.

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