China has released its Q1 growth figures, sending a clear message to the rest of the world: the Iran crisis has thus far had no impact on Chinese economic activity. Year-on-year growth came in at 5% in Q1, up from 4.5% in the final quarter of 2025. These figures beat consensus expectations, which saw growth remaining below 5%, and enabled China to make progress towards its 2026 growth target (“between 4...

Growth in the Spanish economy remains solid at the start of 2026, although it is showing signs of moderating in a more uncertain international environment. Domestic demand – underpinned by private consumption and investment – remains the main driver of economic activity, buoyed by a labour market that remains dynamic and by the impetus of public policies. At the same time, the external sector is making a...

Economic activity slowed in 2025, whilst remaining resilient in a context of high uncertainty and rising trade tensions. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has already resulted in higher energy prices and renewed geopolitical uncertainty. Under the assumption of a very gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, without a return to normal conditions, consumer prices would accelerate on average in...

This scenario is set against a backdrop of military, political and economic uncertainty that makes forecasting the scale of shocks and their macroeconomic impact particularly risky. But one thing is certain: the tightening of external constraints on the Eurozone, which is facing more volatile prices on global energy markets. Whilst, unlike in 2022, the risk is less one of shortages, its vulnerability to...

The powerful political and geopolitical consequences of the conflict in the Middle East will extend far beyond the more immediate ones that this scenario aims to identify. This conflict is not an isolated incident, but rather it is part of a series of supply shocks (the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, Houthi attacks) that highlight critical dependencies on a few key chokepoints (eg, commodities...

The UK economy, still bearing the marks of the 2022 energy crisis, is confronting a fresh external supply shock stemming from the war in the Middle East. The economic situation prior to this conflict was fragile: GDP growth was still very modest in the second half of 2025; the unemployment rate had risen; and a surge in inflation eroded the household purchasing power against a backdrop of moderating wage...

Open and tightly integrated into international trade, Asian countries are exposed to the disruption caused by the ongoing conflict in the Gulf. Most of them have reacted quickly, worrying about the impact of the war on energy supplies and trade flows. 

Like 2001 was for China (the year it joined the WTO), will 2026 turn out to have been a pivotal year in India’s trading history? The country, now the world’s fifth largest economy in GDP terms, remains a minor player in international trade (17th in terms of exports, accounting for 1.8% of total world exports). Due to a rather protectionist stance focused on its domestic market, particularly in...

As the Year of the Fire Horse begins on 17 February, what can we expect from the Chinese economy in the coming months? In Chinese astrology, the sign of the horse is associated with strength and the natural desire to move forward, while the element of fire reflects energy and passion. After the Year of the Wood Snake (careful thought and subtlety), will the Year of the Fire Horse bring rapid change, bold...