China, Germany Can Contribute to a New Cycle for Global Economy

The prospects for the world's economy this year are lackluster at best. The International Monetary Fund has downgraded its growth forecast to just 3.1 percent and the figure for 2016 is only slightly higher.

To get a clear picture of where this growth comes from, it makes sense to look at growth in absolute rather than just relative figures. It is always important to keep in mind the base from which growth occurs.