As Yoggi Berra may have said, predictions are always difficult, particularly about the future, but to start they year, I thought I would highlight a few scenarios which may or may not arise in 2017, but which are worth considering.
The first follows on from the election of Donald Trump on a protectionist platform. While he has flitted between Democrats and Republicans, and flip-flopped between a wide range of opinions, one of the few things Trump has been consistent about is his aversion to free trade and his belief that other countries are getting the upper hand on the US on trade.
So while many commentators expect Trump to renege on promises he made during the election, I don’t think he will pull back from imposing protectionist measures. Already, car makers like Ford are feeling the brunt of his “bully pulpit” when it comes to moving jobs to Mexico. For what it’s worth I think he will build his wall on the southern border, even if it is a fence...