An increasing share of executives see changes in the trade environment as creating opportunities for their companies, according to a recent McKinsey Global Survey on economic conditions. Although this view is increasing—up seven percentage points from December 2024 to September—it still represents a small share of respondents, explain Senior Partner Sven Smit and coauthors. Trade policy shifts remained the most-cited risk to company growth for the second consecutive quarter, with only 34 percent indicating they are confident in their organization’s ability to navigate trade adjustments.
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A bar graph shows the share of respondents who say changes in the trade environment are one of the biggest opportunities for their companies over the next 12 months. The graph has four bars, representing data from December 2024, March 2025, June 2025, and September 2025. The percentage of respondents who view changes in the trade environment as an opportunity was 8% in December 2024, 9% in March 2025, 11% in June 2025, and 15% in September 2025.
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Source: McKinsey Global Surveys on economic conditions, participants at all levels of the organization, Nov 27–Dec 6, 2024; Feb 26–Mar 7, 2025; May 29–June 6, 2025; and Aug 27–Sept 5, 2025.
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To read the survey, see “Economic conditions outlook, September 2025,” September 29, 2025.