Riding Economic Uncertainties with Top Forecasters

The challenge of predicting growth fluctuations in financial markets is one of many business issues under discussion at the 29th annual International Symposium on Forecasting (ISF) to be held June 21 – 24 in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Long considered the premiere international forecasting conference, the ISF encompasses a broad range of business sectors. This year's schedule includes sessions on forecasting for climate policy, long term mobile broadband trends, assessment of forecasts in the current recession, and techniques for predicting sports performance. 2003 Nobel Laureate in Economics, Professor Clive Granger, will be a keynote speaker at the conference.

Presented annually by the International Institute of Forecasters, the 2009 ISF marks the first time the conference will be held in Asia. This year's event is co-organized with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM).

"The Symposium provides a platform for leading forecasting professionals to reveal their insights into the field, with a particular focus on the services sector this year," says Professor Haiyan Song, Chair, Professor and Associate Director of SHTM and the General Chair of ISF 2009.

Research conducted through the SAS Forecasting Research Grant program will also be presented at this year's conference. Awarded by the IIF with support from SAS, grants totaling $10,000 are given annually for research that advances the field of forecasting. The program is now in its seventh year.

Early registration for the ISF conference is available through 5/15 for both IIF members and non-members. Special student rates are also available. Online registration can be accessed at www.forecasters.org/isf