Boston, MA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/05/2015 -- Core Views

- Economic growth will be constrained by the introduction of austerity measures by the incumbent government. Significant fiscal cutbacks will dampen disposable income and consumer spending during 2015-2016.
- Belgium's extremely high national debt continues to leave it exposed to a potential deterioration in economic growth exasperating debt servicing pressure and also the possibility of yields increasing due to eurozone instability.

Major Forecast Changes

- We have revised down our 2015 real GDP growth forecast to 1.3% from 1.6 % previously.
- In light of industrial action we have revised down our Short-Term Political Risk Index for Belgium to 64.2 out of 100, down from 66.7 previously.

Key Risks To Outlook

- Downside Risks To Medium-Term Growth: There remain significant downside risks to our economic growth forecasts, particularly stemming from the impact of fiscal consolidation and deterioration in eurozone sovereign debt market dynamics.
- Prolonged disagreement between the government and social partners over labour market reforms resulting in further industrial action would negatively affect growth and business sentiment in the near term.

View Full Report Details and Table of Contents

The Belgium Country Risk Report helps businesses with market assessment, strategic planning and decision making to promote growth and profitability in Belgium. It is an essential tool for CEOs, Chairmen, Finance Directors/CFOs, Managing Directors, Marketing/Sales Directors with commercial interests in this emerging market.

An influential new analysis of Belgium's economic, political and financial prospects through end-2019, just published by award-winning forecasters, Business Monitor International (BMI).

Key Uses

- Forecast the pace and stability of Belgium's economic and industry growth through end-2019.
- Identify and evaluate adverse political and economic trends, to facilitate risk mitigation.
- Assess the critical shortcomings of the operating environment that pose hidden barriers and costs to corporate profitability.
- Contextualise Belgium's country risks against regional peers using BMI's country comparative Risk Index system.
- Evaluate external threats to doing business in Belgium, including currency volatility, the commodity price boom and protectionist policies.

The Belgium Country Risk Report by Business Monitor International (BMI) includes four major sections: Economic Outlook, Political Outlook, Operational Risk and Key Sector Outlook.

Economic Outlook:

How will the Belgium' economic policy-making and performance impact on corporate profitability over 2015-2019?

BMI provides our fully independent 5-year forecasts for Belgium through end-2019 for more than 50 economic and key industry indicators. We evaluate growth, and also forecast the impact of economic management.

Economic Outlook Contents

The Belgium Country Risk Report features BMI's forecasts with supporting analysis for 2015 through to end-2019, set against government views and BMI's evaluation of global and regional prospects.

Key Areas Covered:

Data:

- Full 10-year forecasts with data - for key macroeconomic variables including GDP (real growth and per capita), population, inflation, current account balance and the exchange rate.
- BMI's comprehensive Risk Index system - rates each country worldwide for economic and political risk, and rates the business environment, within a global and regional context.

Written Analysis:

- Economic Activity - real GDP growth, employment, inflation, consumption (retail sales and confidence).
- Balance of Payments - trade and investment, current and capital account.
- Monetary Policy - interest rate trends (bank lending and deposit rates) and inflation (producer price and consumer price).
- Exchange Rate Policy - currency controls, foreign investment flows, exchange rates and foreign exchange reserves.
- Fiscal Policy - macroeconomic strategy and policies, government finance and tax reforms.
- Foreign Direct Investment - approvals, inflows and climate.
- External Debt - debt profile (short and long-term plus public and private sector obligations).
- Global Assumptions - forecasts for each year to end-2019 covering: major commodities, growth in key regions, inflation, and interest and exchange rates, in the United States, Japan, China and the eurozone.

Key Benefits

- Rely upon BMI's 100% independent forecast scenarios for Belgium and underlying assumptions - we take no advertising and are privately-owned.

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