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ARTICLE · 12 JANUARY 2026

Market Intelligence Thought Leadership Award Winner

Big Picture For Business 2026

Gowling WLG
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Last year saw Donald Trump return to the White House with a radical 'America First' policy agenda, challenging global norms and heralding a new era of geopolitical uncertainty.

United KingdomStrategy
Richard Jones
Richard Jones
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Key trends shaping global business strategy for the year ahead

Last year saw Donald Trump return to the White House with a radical 'America First' policy agenda, challenging global norms and heralding a new era of geopolitical uncertainty.

Yet, we also witnessed remarkable business resilience and reasons for optimism: from adaptable global supply chains through to buoyant equity markets, transformational AI advances and encouraging falls in inflation and interest rates. With many economies now emerging from the 'peak uncertainty' of 2025, the fundamentals for business look set to improve further in the coming year.

Five key trends shaping the business outlook

  • Global trade is being reshaped

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