Double Dip, Up Ahead!

Delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland are predicting that the global economic recovery could lose pace later this year as heavy debts weigh on the beleaguered. “When Steve Jobs said Apple’s new iPad tablet would have 3G data service from AT&T during Wednesday’s press conference, sighs of disgust could be heard from the audience, presumably from disgruntled iPhone customers. Heavy debts will weigh on governments and households in the U.S. and Europe for some time, while hopes for global growth will continue to rest on fast-developing countries such as India and China, predicted participants at the meeting’s opening debate on the economy. As many expected, the debate on regulating big banks also stoked passions. The push for more stringent regulation has accelerated in Europe and around the world since last week, when U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration proposed a plan to tax and curb activities of big banks. The annual gathering of much of the world financial elite in Davos offers a chance to gauge the mood of business, regulators and analysts about the year ahead. Wednesday’s debate suggested that while the global economy is growing again, it isn’t out of the woods yet.”