An apprehensive mood characterises the world economy as 2018 draws to a close.  October saw five weeks of consecutive losses on the world’s stock markets. The third quarter of this year saw the slowest rate of growth across the Eurozone in four years, while concerns about China centre on its level of indebtedness and the prospects of a potentially damaging trade war with the USA. 

Set against this, though, the IMF predicts in its World Economic Outlook that the global economy will grow by 3.7% next year. 

The mood among architects seems similarly sanguine, judging by Building Design’s latest annual World Architecture 100 survey. Nearly three quarters (73%) of respondents predict that the global construction economy will grow in the next 12 months. Of these, 6% believe that growth will be strong. 

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