The OECD Economic Outlook report projects that global economic growth is slowing as risks are mounting. World GDP growth is projected to decline from 3.7% in 2018 to 3.5% in both 2019 and 2020. Risks include escalating trade tensions, weaker investor sentiment towards emerging markets, and a potential slowdown in China that could negatively impact the global economy. The report calls for enhanced international cooperation to help prepare for more difficult economic times.

1. 21 November 2018
Ángel Gurría
OECD Secretary-General
Laurence Boone
OECD Chief Economist
OECD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Growth has peaked amidst
escalating risks
http://www.oecd.org/eco/outlook/economic-outlook/
ECOSCOPE blog: oecdecoscope.wordpress.com

2. Key messages
2
Global growth is slowing
Clouds are gathering on the horizon
Enhance cooperation and prepare for more difficult times

3. 3
Global GDP growth is losing momentum
World
Note: G-20 advanced economies are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.
G-20 emerging economies are Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Turkey.
Source: OECD Economic Outlook database; and OECD calculations.
G-20 Advanced G-20 Emerging
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4.0
2017 2018 2019 2020
May projections
% y-o-y
1.7
1.8
1.9
2.0
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2017 2018 2019 2020
September projections
% y-o-y
4.9
5.0
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
2017 2018 2019 2020
November projections
% y-o-y

4. 2018 2019 2020 2018 2019 2020
World 3.7 3.5 3.5
G-20 3.8 3.7 3.7
Australia 3.1 2.9 2.6 Argentina -2.8 -1.9 2.3
Canada 2.1 2.2 1.9 Brazil 1.2 2.1 2.4
Euro area 1.9 1.8 1.6 China 6.6 6.3 6.0
Germany 1.6 1.6 1.4 India1
7.5 7.3 7.4
France 1.6 1.6 1.5 Indonesia 5.2 5.2 5.1
Italy 1.0 0.9 0.9 Mexico 2.2 2.5 2.8
Japan 0.9 1.0 0.7 Russia 1.6 1.5 1.8
Korea 2.7 2.8 2.9 Saudi Arabia 1.7 2.6 2.5
United Kingdom 1.3 1.4 1.1 South Africa 0.7 1.7 1.8
United States 2.9 2.7 2.1 Turkey 3.3 -0.4 2.7
OECD Economic Outlook projections
4
Real GDP growth revised down
Year-on-year, %. Arrows for 2018 and 2019 indicate the direction of revisions since September 2018.*
*The OECD Economic Outlook includes for the first time projections up to 2020.
Note: Dark orange for downward revisions of 0.3 percentage points and more. Light green and light orange for, respectively, upward and
downward revisions of less than 0.3 percentage point. Difference in percentage points based on rounded figures. The European Union is a
full member of the G-20, but the G-20 aggregate only includes countries that are also members in their own right.
1. Fiscal years starting in April.

5. OECD Economic Outlook projections
5
Real GDP growth
Non-G-20 economies, year-on-year, %
2018 2019 2020 2018 2019 2020
Austria 2.6 1.9 1.9 Latvia 4.7 3.9 3.3
Belgium 1.5 1.4 1.4 Lithuania 3.4 2.9 2.6
Chile 4.1 3.7 3.4 Luxembourg 3.0 2.9 3.2
Colombia 2.8 3.3 3.4 Netherlands 2.9 2.5 2.1
Costa Rica 2.9 3.0 3.3 New Zealand 2.9 2.8 2.6
Czech Republic 3.0 2.7 2.6 Norway 1.6 1.9 2.3
Denmark 1.2 1.9 1.6 Poland 5.2 4.0 3.3
Estonia 3.3 3.5 2.3 Portugal 2.2 2.1 1.9
Finland 2.8 1.8 1.6 Slovak Republic 4.1 4.3 3.6
Greece 2.1 2.2 2.1 Slovenia 4.4 3.6 2.7
Hungary 4.6 3.9 3.3 Spain 2.6 2.2 1.9
Iceland 3.8 2.8 2.6 Sweden 2.5 1.9 1.9
Ireland 5.9 4.1 3.4 Switzerland 2.9 1.6 1.6
Israel 3.6 3.5 3.3 Tunisia 2.6 3.1 3.3

6. 94
96
98
100
102
104
94
96
98
100
102
104
2015 2016 2017 2018
Future output New business
Index 100 =
2015-2018 average
Index 100 =
2015-2018 average
6
Activity is losing steam
Note: Left panel: industrial production and retail sales aggregated using purchasing power parity weights. Data for retail sales volume
growth are retail sales in the majority of countries, but monthly household consumption is used for the United States and the monthly
synthetic consumption indicator is used for Japan. Retail sales data are not available for India. Estimates for 18Q3 based on data for the
three months up to August. Right panel: Global composite PMI, 3-month moving average, data as of October 2018.
Source: OECD Economic Outlook Database; Thomson Reuters; Markit; and OECD calculations.
Global short-term activity Global business expectations
0
1
2
3
4
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
2015 2016 2017 2018
Industrial production growth
Retail sales volume growth
% y-o-y % y-o-y

7. 45
50
55
60
65
45
50
55
60
65
2015 2016 2017 2018
Global United States
Germany ChinaIndex Index
7Note: Right panel: Data from 88 ports worldwide.
Source: Markit; Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics; and OECD calculations.
Container port traffic
Trade growth is decelerating
Manufacturing new export orders
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
2015 2016 2017 2018
Quarter-on-quarter Year-on-year
% changes, a.r. % changes, a.r.
Contracting
Expanding

8. 8
Fiscal and monetary policies:
taking the foot off the accelerator
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
United States Euro area Japan
% of GDP % of GDP
-1.6
-1.2
-0.8
-0.4
0.0
0.4
0.8
1.2
1.6
-1.6
-1.2
-0.8
-0.4
0.0
0.4
0.8
1.2
1.6
USA CAN ITA OECD Euro
area
FRA JPN DEU GBR
2016-2018 2018-2020
% pts of potential
GDP
% pts of potential
GDP
Tightening
Easing
Note: Right panel: the OECD aggregate measures the change for the median OECD country over the periods shown.
Source: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Bank of Japan; European Central Bank; OECD Economic Outlook
database; and OECD calculations.
Change in general government
primary balance
Central bank total assets

9. Labour shortages are rising
but employment can still improve
9
Labour shortages
Based on business surveys
Note: Left panel: Data normalised over the 2002-2018 period. Right panel: the employment rate is defined as the number of employed
people as a share of the working-age population (15 to 64 years old).
Source: OECD Economic Outlook database, National Federation of Independent Business; European Commission; Bank of Japan;
and OECD calculations.
Employment rates
Change between 2007 and 2017
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
% pts % pts
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
United States Euro area Japan
Normalised Normalised

10. Wages and prices are set to rise moderately
Inflation
Consumer price inflation, excluding food and energy
Note: Right panel: Core inflation excludes energy and food products and refers to harmonised data for the euro area. Inflation numbers for
Japan are adjusted for the 2014 and planned 2019 consumption tax hikes.
Source: OECD Economic Outlook Database; and OECD calculations.
10
Wage growth
Average annual growth in nominal wages
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
United States Euro area Japan
1995-2007 2008-2017 2018-2020 (projected)% %
-0.5
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
-0.5
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
United States Euro area Japan
% %

11. CLOUDS ARE GATHERING
ON THE HORIZON
11

12. Widespread trade restrictions would
disrupt value chains, hurting jobs
Note: The size of a bubble represents the share of world trade in value-added terms (exports plus imports of value added) of that country or
economic area. The thickness of the lines between two bubbles measures the amount of bilateral value-added trade between two trading
partners. There are bilateral trade flows between all economies shown but those below approximately 0.2% of total world trade flows are not
shown. Dynamic Asia Economies (DAE) include Chinese Taipei; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Malaysia; the Philippines; Singapore; and
Thailand. Other emerging markets (OEM) include the remaining 129 countries in the world and account for around 10% of world trade.
Source: Gephi; IMF Direction of Trade Statistics database; OECD Economic Outlook database; and OECD Calculations.
12
Exports and imports of goods

13. Tariff hikes act as a brake
on GDP growth
Note: Current tariffs include all tariffs imposed on bilateral US-China trade in 2018 up to the end of September. The purple scenario shows
the additional impact of the United States raising tariffs on $200 billion of imports from China from 10% to 25% from January 2019 (with
reciprocal action by China on $60 billion of imports from the United States). The orange scenario shows the additional impact if tariffs of
25% are imposed on all remaining bilateral non-commodity trade between China and the United States from July 2019. The red scenario
shows the additional impact of related uncertainty resulting in a rise of 50bp in investment risk premia in all countries in 2019-2021.
Source: OECD calculations.
13
-2.0
-1.6
-1.2
-0.8
-0.4
0.0
USA GDP China GDP World GDP World Trade Trade excl. USA &
China
%
Impact on GDP and trade by 2021, per cent difference from baseline

14. Weaker investor confidence towards EMEs
would drag down growth
14
Source: OECD calculations.
Output effect of higher interest rates in emerging-market economies
GDP impact of a 1 percentage point rise in investment risk premia in all EMEs, difference from baseline
-0.6
-0.5
-0.4
-0.3
-0.2
-0.1
0.0
-0.6
-0.5
-0.4
-0.3
-0.2
-0.1
0.0
Brazil Indonesia Russia China non-OECD India Mexico South Africa OECD
%% 2019 2020

15. -0.4
-0.3
-0.2
-0.1
0.0
-0.4
-0.3
-0.2
-0.1
0.0
United States Euro area Germany Japan East Asia Commodity
exporters
% pts % pts
A slowdown in China
would weigh on growth across the world
15
Note: Based on a decline of 2 percentage points in the growth rate of domestic demand in China for two years. Policy interest rates are
endogenous in all areas. “Commodity exporters” include: Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa and the other oil producers.
All countries and regions are weighted using purchasing power parities.
Source: OECD calculations.
GDP growth impact of a negative demand shock of 2% pts in China
First year

16. 90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
Jan-17 Apr-17 Jul-17 Oct-17 Jan-18 Apr-18 Jul-18 Oct-18
S&P 500 EuroStoxx TOPIX
Jan. 2017 = 100 Jan. 2017 = 100
16Note: Data as of 19 November 2018.
Source: OECD Economic Outlook database; Thomson Reuters; and OECD calculations.
A materialisation of risks
could deepen asset price corrections
Equity prices have fallen recently Stock valuations remain elevated
Cyclically adjusted average Price/Earnings ratios
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
United States Euro area Japan

17. 0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
Jan-17 Apr-17 Jul-17 Oct-17 Jan-18 Apr-18 Jul-18 Oct-18
Italy Portugal Spain Ireland% %
17
Note: Left panel: Sovereign spreads refer to the difference between the yield on a country's 10-year bond issue and the yield on a bond
issued by Germany as a benchmark country. Data as of 19 November 2018. Right panel: Banking credit, adjusted for sales and
securitisation, from domestic banks to euro area non-financial corporations.
Source: Thomson Reuters; European Central Bank; and OECD calculations.
Political risks in the euro area
may weigh on credit growth
Credit growth to firms remains low
Banking credit to non-financial corporations
Sovereign spreads have risen in
Italy, but contagion is limited
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
Italy Germany France Spain
% y-o-y % y-o-y

18. 18
Note: Combined effects of an increase of 20 USD per barrel in oil prices, an increase of 1 percentage point in investment risk premia in all
emerging-market economies and a 25 per cent tariff on US-China bilateral trade from 2019 onwards. All shocks are assumed to last for five
years. Effect on GDP at constant prices.
Source: OECD calculations.
Higher tariffs on US-China trade, higher EME interest rates and higher oil prices
Difference from baseline GDP
A combination of risks could amplify each
other and seriously erode growth
-1.2
-1.0
-0.8
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
-1.2
-1.0
-0.8
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
China United States Brazil India World OECD Euro area Japan
%% 2019 2020

19. GOVERNMENTS SHOULD ENHANCE
COOPERATION AND PREPARE FOR
MORE DIFFICULT TIMES
19

20. 20
Note: Ad valorem equivalents, average across products and partner countries. The non-tariff measure estimate includes sanitary and
phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, border control measures, and quantitative restrictions. The European Union excludes
intra-EU trade.
Source: OECD calculations, based on the METRO model and Cadot et al. (2018).
Tariffs and non-tariff measures
Revive cooperation to reduce trade barriers
and regulatory differences
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
United
States
Japan European
Union
Canada Mexico Indonesia China Russia India Brazil
%% Tariff rate Tariff equivalent of NTMs

21. -1
0
1
2
3
4
5
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
United States Japan Germany France% %
21
Note: Left panel: Data as of 19 November 2018. Right panel: The fiscal scenario is a coordinated global fiscal easing of 0.5% of GDP
sustained for three years, with policy interest rates held fixed for three years. Simulations on the NiGEM global macroeconomic model, with
model-consistent expectations.
Source: OECD Economic Outlook database; and OECD calculations.
Impact of a coordinated fiscal stimulus
Global GDP, % difference from baseline
Coordinated action will be needed in a downturn
Long-term interest rates remain low
Yield on 10-year government bond issues, 15-day m.a.
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
2019 2020 2021 2022
Fiscal easing with fixed monetary policy rates% %

22. 22
Note: The unemployment benefits re-insurance scheme is a stabilisation mechanism for the euro area. Support from the fund, triggered
when the unemployment rate increases to high levels, is proportional to the size of the crisis. A participating country pays 0.1% of GDP per
year when the fund issues debt and an additional charge of 0.05% of GDP for every year support was received in the past 10 years.
Counterfactual simulations on GDP show that for an average annual contribution of 0.2% of GDP, the fund could achieve significant
stabilisation while avoiding permanent transfers between countries.
Source: OECD 2018 Euro area Economic Survey, Claveres; G. and J. Stráský (2018); and OECD calculations.
A common fiscal capacity would help
the euro area to smooth downturns
GDP growth stabilisation effect
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
Difference in annual growth for the euro area achieved by the fund
% %Global Financial crisis Euro area crisis
Higher growth

23. Raising skills and improving labour markets
helps increase wages and reduce inequality
23
Wage and productivity growth
Real wages, OECD countries
Source: OECD Economic Outlook November 2018, chapter 2.
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
135
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
135
1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013
Index 1995 = 100 Labour productivity Average wages Median wages
Contribution of declining
labour share
Contribution of increased
wage inequality
Index 1995 = 100

24. Product market reforms would
help reduce productivity gaps
24
Productivity divergence
Manufacturing and services
Note: The frontier is measured by the average of log labour productivity for the top 5% of companies with the highest productivity levels
globally across 24 OECD countries, separately within each 2-digit industry and year. “Firms below the frontier” capture the log productivity
for all other firms, constructed in a similar way. The series are normalised to 100 in the starting year (2003=100) and the time variation is
approximated by changes in the log measures x 100. Services denote market services excluding the financial sector.
Source: OECD calculations using Orbis data of Bureau van Dijk, following the methodology in Andrews et al. (2016).
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015
Frontier
Firms below the frontier
Index 2003 = 100 Index 2003 = 100

25. Key messages
25
Global growth is slowing
• Global growth is set to weaken on the back of slower trade growth and less supportive policies
• The OECD unemployment rate is at record low and wages are growing modestly
• Inflation has yet to pick up
Clouds are gathering on the horizon
• Tariff hikes are slowing growth and could disrupt value chains and jobs
• Emerging markets remain vulnerable to rising US rates and capital outflows
• Political and geopolitical risks increase uncertainty
Enhance cooperation and prepare for more difficult times
• Cooperation needed to reduce uncertainty, avoid protectionism, and act in face of a downturn
• Strengthen the euro area by completing the banking union and progressing on a common fiscal
capacity
• Step up action to reduce inequality and improve trust in governments