With China looking to redefine the global economy through its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, it is up to European governments to decide how they will maintain authority across their own continent

The US economy continues to display worrying signs of ossification as growth diminishes and wealth inequality worsens. President Trump’s tax reforms have only exacerbated matters

Once thought of as the ultimate economic danger, inflation is now generally recognised to be an acceptable, sometimes even necessary, ingredient in the recipe for growth. However, this laissez-faire attitude could end up distorting contemporary perceptions of economic success

There is talk in the eurozone of adopting a principle of joint liability, so that credit risk can be spread equally across all member states. Many argue this will undermine stability by encouraging governments to pursue unwise fiscal policies

High-income countries should be doing more to fight extreme poverty, climate change and inadequate educational standards. With many regional bodies suffering from underfunding, however, it may be time to introduce a global tax system to help fund such solutions

With officials caught between consumers’ demands for sound financial practices and bankers’ requirements for regulatory freedom, it is possible that recent warnings over the state of the global economy are merely designed to protect regulators in the event of a crisis

Hawkish observers suggest that the next recession will be more damaging than the previous one, as the current geopolitical environment leaves the world in a far worse position for dealing with the effects of a crisis

Emerging markets are no longer as reliant on the fortunes of developed economies, and are more resilient in their own right. However, this change in nature will bring significant new challenges for those wishing to invest in burgeoning markets

Automation’s displacing effect on the world’s labour force is stark. With the expectation that fewer people will be needed for long-established practical positions, the majority of work could soon be devoted to zero-sum roles

In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the global economic system was meant to witness an era of moderation. However, the fact that debt remains the primary driver of growth suggests that inherent weaknesses remain

The pace of overall growth in the global economy is increasing. However, this economic expansion also brings a rise in the level of public and private debt, which could pose a serious threat to the long-term health of global markets

The tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump earlier this year have moved his country inextricably closer to a trade conflict with China. That being said, many believe this clash has been many decades in the making

For many, signs of financial distress in emerging countries are simply localised events; inevitable for less-developed economies. However, they could in fact be indicators for intrinsic problems in the global financial system

Many would view the rising value of the dollar positively. However, pronounced increases in the value of the world’s primary currency could also unbalance economic systems and further complicate fraught trade relations

Many argue that GDP-linked bonds are a far stabler alternative to currency-fixed debt instruments. These bonds would be less volatile in times of crisis and would stop the economy’s performance from becoming a direct burden on the taxpayer