Geopolitical Strife Could Cost Global Economy $14.5 Trln Over 5 Years

09 October 2024, Palestinian Territories, Gaza City: A general view of buildings damaged by Israeli strikes. Photo: Mahmoud Issa/Quds Net News via ZUMA Press/dpa
09 October 2024, Palestinian Territories, Gaza City: A general view of buildings damaged by Israeli strikes. Photo: Mahmoud Issa/Quds Net News via ZUMA Press/dpa
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Geopolitical Strife Could Cost Global Economy $14.5 Trln Over 5 Years

09 October 2024, Palestinian Territories, Gaza City: A general view of buildings damaged by Israeli strikes. Photo: Mahmoud Issa/Quds Net News via ZUMA Press/dpa
09 October 2024, Palestinian Territories, Gaza City: A general view of buildings damaged by Israeli strikes. Photo: Mahmoud Issa/Quds Net News via ZUMA Press/dpa

The global economy could face losses of $14.5 trillion over a five-year period from a hypothetical geopolitical conflict which hits supply chains, insurance market Lloyd's of London said on Wednesday.

The economic impact would result from severe damage to infrastructure in the conflict region and the potential for compromised shipping lanes, Lloyd's said in a statement.

Wars in Ukraine and Gaza have already disturbed shipping routes in the Black Sea and Red Sea.

"With more than 80% of the world's imports and exports – around 11 billion tons of goods – at sea at any given time, the closure of major trade routes due to a geopolitical conflict is one of the greatest threats to the resources needed for a resilient economy," Lloyd's said.

The possibility of such a geopolitical conflict was a systemic - or low likelihood but high impact - risk, Lloyd's said.

Lloyd's said it has also researched other potential systemic risks in partnership with the Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies, including cyber attacks and extreme weather events.



Egypt's Net Foreign Assets Slid in October

A general view shows Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
A general view shows Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
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Egypt's Net Foreign Assets Slid in October

A general view shows Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
A general view shows Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt July 13, 2020. (Reuters)

Egypt's net foreign assets (NFAs) dropped by $1.12 billion in October after a rise in September, central bank data shows.

NFAs declined to the equivalent of $9.21 billion at the end of October from $10.33 billion at the end of September, according to Reuters calculations based on the official central bank currency rates. The decline followed a $591 million gain in September.

Egypt had been using NFAs, which include foreign assets at both the central bank and commercial banks, to help to prop up its currency since as long ago as September 2021.

NFAs turned negative in February 2022 and only returned to positive territory in May this year.

Foreign assets rose at the central bank in October but dipped at commercial banks while foreign liabilities climbed at both commercial banks and the central bank.