THURSDAY 5 MARCH 2020The economic impact of
coronavirus in numbers
BEN CHU
ECONOMICS EDITOR
The World Health Organisation has not yet declared coronavirus a pandemic, namely a disease epidemic
that has spread in a self-sustaining fashion around the planet.
But Covid-19 has certainly shaken the planet’s economy and financial markets already. And further shocks
are expected.
Some analysts are talking of the possibility of a global recession – something that has not been experienced
since the financial crash of 2008-09.
These charts below show the damage that has been done so far, and some that might still be to come.
- Chinese industrial production collapses
Economic activity in China, the world’s largest manufacturer and a key link in Western companies’ supply
chains, has fallen off a cliff.
The Purchasing Managers’ Index shows manufacturing activity as recorded by a broad survey of industry.
The reading for China in February has never been lower, not even in the global recession of 2008-09.