Swimming against the tide

China, Latin America and the Caribbean have enough reason to be optimistic about better economic growth prospects

The economic and political mood in many of the world's richest countries has become increasingly somber. Many analysts are warning of a double-dip recession in the United States. Unemployment is rising. The debt crisis in Europe is not getting better. Because the US and the eurozone still account for more than half of the global economy, there is a real risk that these problems will hold back recovery in the rest of the world.

In fact, analysts have already lowered this year's GDP growth forecasts for Brazil and Mexico, the largest economies in Latin America and the Caribbean. China's growth, though still very impressive, has slowed recently, and controlling inflation is now the Chinese government's top priority.