Mid-Year Webinars: Revisiting Regional Outlooks
BMI Country Risk & Industry Analysis
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This mid-year webinar series provides a comprehensive review of global and regional macroeconomic outlooks for 2025 and 2026, assessing key themes and developments across Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, MENA, and Latin America. Experts examined the evolving economic and political landscape in Europe, highlighting the Russia-Ukraine war and EU-US relations, while the Sub-Saharan Africa session focused on growth prospects, policy responses, and structural challenges in major markets. Asia’s webinar analyzed the impact of US tariff negotiations and potential outcomes for regional economies, and the MENA update considered the effects of regional conflicts, shifting power dynamics, and economic prospects for core markets. In Latin America, panelists discussed resilience in the face of external pressures, recent policy shifts, and implications of upcoming elections for economic growth.
- Webinar: Europe Macroeconomic Update: Key Themes For 2025 In Review
- Webinar: Sub-Saharan Africa Macroeconomic Update: Navigating Global Uncertainty
- Webinar: Asia Macroeconomic Update: Trump's Tariff Developments
- Webinar: MENA Macroeconomic Update: Regional Conflicts And Economic Outlook For 2025-26
- Webinar: Latin America Macroeconomic Update: Emerging From The Shadows
Global Insights
BMI’s Global Insights highlights how major macroeconomic and political themes are evolving in 2025. The mid-year review revisits eight key forecasts, noting that a more aggressive US trade stance is creating fresh uncertainties, even as episodes of pragmatism emerge in response to market risks. A dual scenario analysis of US tariffs outlines the growth impact for both developed and emerging markets, with higher tariffs posing a greater threat to economies such as the US, Japan, Germany, Mainland China, and Brazil. The accompanying webinar also explores broader global trends including inflation, monetary policy, geopolitical risks, and the outlook for capital flows in the months ahead.
Sector Outlooks: 2025 Trends at Mid-Year
Global sector trends at mid-year reveal a moderate outlook for vehicle sales, with tariffs and trade disruptions creating challenges for both manufacturers and consumers. Oil supply is expected to surpass demand in the second half of 2025, while lower consumption and restrained investment reflect persistent market uncertainty. Power and renewables sectors are experiencing strong electricity demand and uneven distributed solar growth, prompting reassessment of support schemes. The energy transition continues, as carbon capture gains traction and clean technology costs diverge further in response to ongoing trade tensions.
Critical Minerals & Battery Innovation in Focus
A surge in global interest around critical minerals and battery innovation is shaping sector strategies and technology choices for 2025. Rare earth elements remain central to the green energy transition but supply vulnerabilities persist, with new entrants and seabed mining developments potentially altering the competitive landscape. South Africa’s Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy marks progress, yet investment in future-facing commodities like copper, cobalt and lithium will be limited until wider structural challenges are addressed. Meanwhile, lithium iron phosphate and sodium-ion batteries are set to drive EV affordability and sales growth, as manufacturers seek local supply chains and cost efficiencies, particularly in Asia, Africa, North America and Europe.
- Article: Rare Earth Q&A (I): What Drives The Global Focus?
- Article: Rare Earth Q&A (II): Will New Entrants Challenge The Status Quo?
- Article: South Africa Critical Minerals Strategy: A Step Forward, But Not A Game Changer
- Article: Lithium Iron Phosphate And Sodium Ion Batteries Will Be Key To Improving EV Affordability And Driving Sales Growth
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