How much longer will this economic downturn last? Have we hit the bottom yet? Which global economies will come back first and which will come back last? When will consumers begin to feel confident and increase their consumer spending? What should citizens of the world expect in the next several months and years? These are just a few of the topics that are discussed and analysed in this keynote presentation. It highlights the global macroeconomic factors that will contribute to eventual worldwide recovery, albeit in a potentially staggered comeback over some period of time. Finally, it identifies how semiconductor technology can play a large role in overall macroeconomic growth and stability - from energy savings and harvesting, to green environmental technology, to enabling 'smart' medical and automotive applications and beyond. This presentation draws a picture of what is required to reach economic stability and how the semiconductor industry can help achieve this.