MALAYSIA’S economy will see positive growth in the next few years but the fate of global economies remain volatile, says IQI global chief economist Shan Saeed.

Speaking at the StarProperty.my forum last Saturday, he said being part of the One Belt One Road initiative would help in staying relevant.

“China and Asean countries will remain in the lead, but global economies like the United States and the United Kingdom will remain volatile and tempestuous”, he said in his talk titled “Global Economic Outlook 2018 – Groping for Recovery”.

Shan says being part of the One Belt One Road initiative will help in staying relevant.

Europe’s economy, he said, was growing and this could be attributed to immigration and the depreciating US dollar, though it would remain fragile as a whole.

He said the US economy would experience troubling times in the long term despite President Donald Trump’s tax plan and this could be a result of debt, social collapse, poor stock market performance and also measures by the Federal Reserve.

Meanwhile, he urged people to adopt technology as part of their skill sets to keep up with the evolving world. This, he said, would help achieve a higher income level and compete with the ever-evolving job landscape.

Feng shui expert and Malaysian Institute of Geomancy Sciences president Prof Joe Choo was also at the forum to share her insights on how to usher in prosperity in the Year of the Dog.

Her talk focused on the economy, effects of weather as well as a global and local outlook on current affairs.

Prof Choo said the country should enjoy an exciting economy in the first half of the year which would then stabilise in the second half.

“Property development will see positive growth this year, but property management and its subsales will not do well,” she said.

Prof Choo says it is a good time to invest in virtual currency.

Malaysia’s economy as a whole, she said, would see a lot of growth opportunities in the first lunar month.

Internal striving within organisations would cause losses and a grey economy would heal in the second lunar month, she added.

However, the economy may be unstable at the third lunar month and business deals or contracts signed earlier will be put on hold.

Despite the halt, she said, the economy would continue to grow to stabilise while suffering mild consequences.

Nonetheless, Prof Choo had different views from Shan about the outlook of the global economy.

She believed the global economy would see positive and stable growth but would face occasional hindrances from scandals, diplomatic rivalries and illegitimate businesses.

She said the One Belt One Road initiative would pose many hurdles for investors, prompting them to not invest in cities related to the initiative.

In her opinion, it is a good time to invest in virtual currency.