Opportunities in a global and Thai economic storm

The global economy and investment climate have been quite volatile this month. Most economic figures have begun to show signs of slowing down, while events that affect investment have been mostly negative.

In the US, key indicators are rising but at a slower pace. Retail sales, for example, were up slightly from the previous month, but annualised growth of just 1.6% suggests consumers are starting to grow more cautious. This is in line with slowing industrial production and durable goods orders.

In addition, we believe that financial sector risks, especially the liquidity squeeze, will affect the US economy negatively in the near future. A recent Federal Reserve survey of senior loan officers found that lending standards of US banks are close to critical levels. Another report…