US economy defies global headwinds, shows ‘No Landing’ growth: WEF chief

Despite global turbulence triggered by the Ukraine war, rising US-China tensions, and other geopolitical crises, the President of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Børge Brende, has underlined the resilience of the US economy and its potential to continue driving global growth.

Speaking in an interview with India Today, Brende noted that concerns from last year about whether the US economy would face a “hard landing” or a “soft landing” have largely dissipated. Instead, he said, there has been “no landing” at all, with growth remaining strong.

“The Europeans are envious of the growth in the US,” Brende remarked, pointing out that America is well prepared to leverage new technologies and has ample capital to sustain its momentum.

Key challenges: Inflation and Immigration

Brende acknowledged that some “small worries” persist, particularly around inflation, but emphasised that overall the economy remains “very robust.” He linked the political landscape in the US to these concerns, saying that the issues of inflation and immigration were central to Donald Trump’s electoral appeal. “Both of those things he is now dealing with,” Brende observed, while cautioning that America’s international agenda is “more complex.”

Looking ahead, Brende expressed confidence that technological innovation and entrepreneurship will be the defining engines of future economic expansion, not just for the US but globally.