The global economic crisis has intensified and as a result we have reduced our forecast for growth in consumption of metallic cable in 2008 from 2.4% to 1.8%. Historically such a crisis would have resulted in a contraction in cable demand, but with consumption expected to continue to rise in the developing world, which now makes up half of the global market, we believe that the market can still achieve some growth. With demand forecast to rise in China in 2009, we expect global growth to begin to recover, but the next couple of years will be difficult for cable companies whose business is reliant on the developed world markets.

Regional focus in current and archived issues:

Oct 2008  North America and South America
Jul 2008  Northeast Asia and Australasia
Apr 2008  India and Eastern Europe
Jan 2008  Southern Europe/ Turkey/ South Africa
Oct 2007  China and GCC
Jul 2007  ASEAN and North Africa
Apr 2007  Northern Europe and North America
Jan 2007  Northeast Asia & South America
Oct 2006  Eastern Europe
Jul 2006  India
Apr 2006  Southern Europe
Jan 2006  China