Goldman Sachs and the World Cup

According to Financial Times, Goldman Sachs has released a 60-page report on the economics of the World Cup.

However, Goldman is not the only financial institution to speculate about the economic and financial effects of the World Cup.

London-based Center for Economics and Business Research estimates a boost to economics of participating nations, and of the order of $20 billion for Germany. However, it predicts productivity losses in Latin America due to absenteeism. Matches will occur, mostly, during working hours in South America but during late afternoon in Europe.

German Chamber of Commerce is expecting a 60,000 rise in jobs due to the World Cup.

"Hosting a major sporting event raises the profile, status and reputation of the host nation, providing a lasting boost to tourism and business investment," says Lucy Hartiss of Capital Economics, a London-based consultancy.

Economists from ABN Amro, the Netherlands-based bank, have authored Soccernomics. Their research indicates that the World Cup-wining nation enjoys 0.7 per cent additional economic growth compared to the previous year as well as a boost to its stock market. (Note that only a handful of nations have ever won the World Cup. So, we're not talking about a great statistical base for these speculations.)

There is also a set back "to productivity as employees callin sick or sneak off work early to watch games," writes Scheherzade Daneshkhu for Financial Times. "But additional consumption provides a boost. The feelgood factor, especially in countries that progress to semi-finals, leads to happier consumers - and contented shppers tend to spend more."