CEIR Predict to spotlight revised economic forecast

August 11, 2011

In light of the uncertain economic outlook, global market fluctuations, and recent Standard & Poor’s downgrade of the U.S. economy rating, there is a greater importance and significance to the economic-outlook sessions that will be part of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) Predict, its annual outlook conference. The sessions will present a revised forecast for 2011, the outlook through 2013 and the likely impact on the exhibition industry.

Attendees will participate in a discussion about the global economy during the keynote address, Outlook for the Global Economy and its Impact on the Exhibition Industry, led by Chairman and Founder of Oxford Economics, John Walker. This session will be followed by an interactive discussion and analysis of the U.S. economy and the exhibitions industry, which will be conducted by CEIR’s economists Allen Shaw, Ph.D. and Jeffrey Werling, Ph.D. They will report on the impact that economic and political forces may have on exhibitions and events serving various industry sectors.

“Economists have spent the summer marking down their forecasts for near-term economic growth in the U.S. and around the world. Several shocks, including natural disasters and political intransigence have combined to derail the nascent recovery,” said Werling. “While it is far from clear that a new recession is imminent, it appears that growth over the next few quarters will remain slow.”

During their session, Allen and Werling will examine how this affects the exhibitions industry.

“Like the economy, exhibitions were showing strong signs of life through 2010 and into early 2011,” said Werling. “Can robust recovery continue despite anemic economic and employment growth? What non-economic features of the exhibition industry might help insulate it from stagnation? Is the outlook for some sectors better than for others?”

CEIR Predict, to be held on September 15 in New York City at the Time Warner Center, is for qualified, C-level executives with attendance limited to no more than 200 participants including exhibition industry executive decision makers, private equity firms, debt providers, investment firms and the financial press to allow for an intimate, high-level idea exchange about the future of the exhibition industry and implications for specific business sectors and their supporting exhibitions.