Cocktail of macroeconomic data paints bleak picture of global economy

Long, short or medium, all of the announcements by governments of the world are "willing and able" to make the equity, currency and commodity markets gyrate wildly

The avalanche of data and policy statements from the first fortnight of October has set the direction of the global economy unlike any other 15-day period in the past.

During this period, the USA said in its National Security Strategy that it will turn protectionist, which will mean guiding investment into its economy as much as possible. Two policy actions, doubling down on chip export technology to China, and the promise to make the US “reduce its reliance on foreign sources of fossil fuels”, made the intentions clear.

In Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced aims to double per capita