In the Final Analysis - SAS Executive Vice President Mikael Hagstrom on the challenges facing global leaders today

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently released the latest leading indicators of the global economy. Although it’s "too early to assess whether it is a temporary or a more durable turning point," the slight upturn of the curve still offers a glimmer of hope that the rebound has begun. That thought was echoed last week by Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the International Monetary Fund, who said, "The worst of the global economic crisis is not yet over but there are signs that the world has started to crawl out of recession."

We’re also seeing some positive signs in our own business, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, which has been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn. While economists differ on where the recovery will emerge from, some reports indicate that "the bright spots were in Asia. For instance, China, India and Indonesia registered relatively strong [Gross Domestic Product] growth, albeit at a slower pace, at 6.1%, 5.8% and 4.4%, respectively. These countries have large domestic markets, which, helped by their governments’ stimulus measures, had effectively cushioned the effects of declining exports."

In the coming months, the OECD’s "Global Economy" report will be closely watched – hopefully, it will continue on the upward path to recovery and then prosperity.