The savings-investment equilibrium globally and by region
At the global level, excess ( ex ante ) savings over investment ( ex post , of course, savings are equal to investment at the global level) lead to low equilibrium real long-term interest rates. But some regions (United States, Latin America, Africa, India) have a savings shortfall, while others (euro zone, Japan, China, Asian emerging countries excluding India) have a savings surplus. This ought to lead to higher real interest rates in the countries with a savings shortfall than in the countries with abundant savings and, in particular, explains why the long-term yield spread between the United States and the euro zone is forecast to widen in the medium term. We find that this is true for nominal long-term interest rates, but not for real interest rates .