Latest Industry Trends News
Generative AI and AI agents drive holiday e‑commerce growth
Retailers using AI shopping agents saw roughly double the sales growth during Nov.1–Dec.15; generative AI influenced about 20% of holiday ecommerce sales, boosting traffic and time on site, per Salesforce and Adobe data.
Global holiday e‑commerce tops $1 trillion by mid‑December
Global online holiday sales exceeded $1 trillion through mid‑December, with online traffic up ~12–16% YoY and purchases concentrated in home goods and electronics categories, according to Digital Commerce 360 summarizing Salesforce and Adobe reports.
Major central banks diverge as global growth softens
Monetary policy is increasingly divergent: the ECB held rates while the Fed cut in December amid softening US consumer spending and a weakening labour market, per KBC economics analysis.
China’s economic momentum remains weak, prompting stimulus bets
Chinese retail sales, industrial production and investment underperformed in late 2025, keeping growth below target and increasing expectations for further government stimulus.
Energy and food prices ease on high supply and weak demand
Natural gas fell (TTF ~€29/MWh) and oil declined to about $62/barrel as high LNG and non‑OPEC+ supply pressured markets; food prices also softened driven by sugar and dairy oversupply.
Commodities rally led by precious metals and base metals strength
Commodities indices rose in 2025 with notable gains in copper, aluminium and especially gold and silver—precious metals logged outsized returns for the year, per Saxo Bank market commentary.
Industrial production and PMI readings show mixed regional signals
Preliminary December PMIs remained expansionary but under expectations in many economies; EU and US PMI softness contrasts with pockets of resilience, highlighting uneven industrial momentum.
Retailers report smaller discounts but smarter, more deliberate shoppers
Average holiday discounts shrank (~20% globally), while consumers spent more time researching purchases, shifting from impulse buys to informed decisions, according to Salesforce data summarized by Digital Commerce 360.
Labor market and consumer confidence strains in major economies
US consumer spending flattened and unemployment edged up, while euro area confidence remained subdued—trends contributing to slower retail and industrial activity in late‑2025, per KBC and Gramercy analyses.
Supply‑chain and logistics: continued adaptation amid demand shifts
Retailers and manufacturers are adjusting inventories and logistics after softer consumption and higher supply in energy/agriculture; forward calendars expect industrial production and durable goods updates next week.
Industry consolidation and agency reshaping in creative and services sectors
Agency consolidation and restructuring continued in late‑2025 as firms adapt to AI volatility and changing client needs, with industry digests noting M&A and strategic pivots across marketing and creative services.
Analysts forecast modest global growth for 2026 but with regional divergence
Major forecasters (Goldman Sachs, Deloitte) project steady global growth into 2026 (~2.8%) with stronger US growth and slower but stabilizing China, while risks include inflation and trade tensions.