Trade in
Transition
2025

About this research

Now in its fifth edition, Trade in Transition is a research programme led by Economist Impact and supported by DP World. It examines the forces shaping global trade and supply chains, providing businesses with practical insights to navigate a fragmented world. By connecting its findings to major global events, the programme highlights the priorities and strategies that are expected to shape the future of trade.

The research draws on a global survey of 3,500 senior executives, capturing their latest trade and supply-chain practices as well as their expectations for the year ahead. The survey includes leaders from a wide range of industries and regions, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and South America. In addition to the survey, the research programme draws on interviews with business leaders and trade experts, and wields natural language processing to analyse shifts in global narratives on trade and supply chains.

The findings Trade in Transition research programme offer businesses valuable insights to guide their strategies, helping them prepare their trade and supply-chain operations to withstand current and future disruptions.