What the economists predicted for 2013

IN ancient times, people consulted soothsayers, tea leaves and the intestines of freshly slaughtered animals to see the future. These days, people believe economists can do that for us.

Two years ago, at the second Kilkenomics festival, I asked economists and commentators where Ireland would be in two years’ time. Ever the jokers, more than one of them replied literally: ‘50 miles west of Wales’.

Those I questioned included Argentina’s youngest-ever finance minister, Martin Lousteau, investment banker Vikas Nath, co-author of Economics For Dummies Peter Antonioni, economist Constantin Gurdgiev, broadcaster and film-maker Max Kaiser, and economist David McWilliams.