World Forecast 2011

Forecast for 2011: the Chinese year of the Yin Metal Rabbit (or Hare) – 3rd February 2011 to the 22nd January 2012.

Although the world economy will technically be out of recession, many countries will still be marred in debt and subject to high taxation.  Unrest will grow and governments will be forced to place their dometic agendas above the demands of international co-operation.  This will place great strain upon the European Community, the Russian Federation, the Chinese Communist Party and the economic co-operation between Canada, the USA and Mexico.

This is because the Yin Metal Rabbit is an introspective, home loving pacifist with a sharp business acumen who will ensure the preservation of his own creature comforts to the exclusion of outsiders.  It is a year in which the family will come first.  Expect moves by some States in the USA and China to demand greater autonomy, and for pressure to grow in Britain to withdraw from the European Community.

Expect that individual countries (and those in a currency union) will introduce protectionist measures by raising tariff barriers leading to disputes at the WTO, and moves to manipulate currencies to ensure competitive export prices.

Housing markets in the Anglo-Saxon world will fall back to their long term average and a mood of realism amongst both buyers and sellers will lead to a propitious year for Estate agents as volumes increase.  Interest in the Art world will increase markedly.

Expect too that NATO countries will tire of the war in Afghanistan as Al Quaeda and other Jihadists lose their enthusiasm for attacking the West.  And the Middle East should also expect a period of relative calm.

But please note: our prediction for 2010 included these words: “We must also face the possibility in a Metal Tiger year of yet more military conflict between opposing idealogies, rather like the Korean War that started in 1950 – a previous year of the Yang Metal Tiger.” It is conceivable that 2011 will be affected by events that have their origin in 2010.

All this will be in marked contrast to what will happen in 2012 – the Year of the Water Dragon which starts on the 23rd January 2012, and finishes on the 9th February 2013. Our forecast for 2012 will be available soon.