Latest Industry Trends News
AI Investment Becomes Central Driver of Global Capital Spending
Analysts project that **AI-related capital expenditure** will remain a primary engine of business investment growth after accounting for roughly one‑third of US GDP growth in early 2025. JPMorgan expects AI physical capex—data centers, chips and networking—to expand a further 33% in 2026 after a 69% surge in 2025, though growth is set to gradually moderate.
This cements AI infrastructure as a core multi‑year theme across technology, real estate, utilities and industrial construction.
Industrial Robotics Market Hits Record as AI-Powered Automation Scales
The **global market value of industrial robot installations** has reached a record **US$16.7 billion**, underscoring accelerating factory automation. The International Federation of Robotics highlights a shift toward AI‑enabled robots and generative‑AI‑driven systems that can learn new tasks autonomously, improving predictive maintenance, logistics and flexible manufacturing.
Employers are increasingly using robotics to offset skill shortages and rising labor costs in both manufacturing and warehousing.
Humanoid Robots Move From Prototype to Industrial Deployment
Humanoid robotics is quickly evolving from R&D prototypes to **real‑world industrial applications**, especially in automotive, warehousing and human‑designed factory environments. Industry players are racing to meet stringent requirements on cycle times, energy use, maintenance costs and safety to match traditional automation, with human‑level dexterity a key performance benchmark.
Labor gaps and the need for flexible, multi‑purpose automation are driving corporate interest in humanoid platforms.
Energy Transition Reshapes Power, Metals and LNG Markets
Wood Mackenzie identifies **five themes** reshaping the 2026 energy world, including disruptive geopolitics, affordability pressures and shifting commodity cycles. European gas prices have retreated despite cold weather, while rising US gas demand and LNG exports tighten Henry Hub dynamics and pressure producer margins.
Electrification and AI‑data‑center growth are boosting copper demand and prompting governments to secure critical minerals and domestic supply chains.
Electric Vehicle Growth Slows but Penetration Deepens
Global **EV sales are expected to reach about 24 million units in 2026**, a 15% year‑on‑year increase, raising EVs to roughly 26% of light‑vehicle sales. China remains the dominant growth engine, while new battery chemistries such as sodium‑ion from CATL are entering European EV and storage markets alongside lithium‑ion.
Autonomous vehicle trials in the US and Europe signal the next wave of mobility disruption layered on top of electrification.
Next-Generation Nuclear and Hydrogen Gain Strategic Momentum
Energy players are advancing **small modular reactor (SMR)** projects, with around 6.7 GW of capacity moving toward final investment decisions in coming years. In hydrogen, China developers approved more than 70% of global green hydrogen capacity last year, and ultra‑low‑cost Chinese hydrogen could potentially undercut European production when converted via ammonia exports.
These trends position nuclear and hydrogen as key long‑term options in decarbonization and industrial energy supply.
Global Growth in 2026: Resilient but Subdued and Uneven
UN forecasts project **global GDP growth of about 2.7–2.8% in 2026**, below the pre‑pandemic average, with notable regional divergence. The US and parts of Asia, especially India and South Asia, are expected to grow faster, while Europe, highly indebted economies and climate‑vulnerable countries lag.
Easing inflation and monetary loosening support activity, but trade tensions, high debt and structural headwinds continue to weigh on investment and industry expansion.
Tariffs, Trade Tensions and Fragmentation Reshape Global Supply Chains
A partial easing of trade tensions has tempered immediate disruption, but **higher tariffs and economic multipolarity** are expected to increasingly affect trade and investment decisions. UN and UNCTAD reports warn that trade growth will slow as one‑off drivers—such as front‑loaded shipments ahead of tariff hikes—fade, while barriers and uncertainty persist.
Multinationals are responding with supply‑chain diversification, regionalization and greater emphasis on resilience over just‑in‑time efficiency.
AI-Linked Sectors Lead but Market Leadership Broadens Beyond Big Tech
In 2025, all S&P 500 sectors posted gains, but **technology and communication services** again led, supported by AI enthusiasm. Late in the year, leadership broadened to include industrials and utilities, benefiting from expected power demand for AI data centers and infrastructure build‑out.
Investors are becoming more selective among AI players, favoring established leaders and value stocks amid concerns about stretched valuations and speculative growth assumptions.
Global Equities, Commodities and Volatility Outlook for 2026
Goldman Sachs research projects **around 11% returns for global stocks** over the next 12 months, following strong gains in 2025. Commodity indices are expected to rise as renewed strength in precious metals offsets weaker energy prices, continuing a pattern from last year.
AllianceBernstein anticipates a normalization of market volatility in 2026 after an unusually calm second half of 2025, impacting risk appetite across asset‑heavy industries.
Cost-of-Living Pressures and Uneven AI Gains Shape Consumer Markets
Global headline **inflation is projected to ease to about 3.1% in 2026**, but elevated food, energy and housing costs continue to erode household purchasing power. UN analysts warn that many developing economies still struggle with high debt and limited fiscal space, constraining consumer demand and slowing progress toward the SDGs.
At the same time, rapid AI adoption could widen structural inequalities, as productivity and income gains concentrate in advanced economies and leading firms.
Labor Shortages Accelerate Automation and Skills Transformation
Manufacturers and logistics firms report **persistent skills shortages**, leaving existing staff overstretched and pushing companies toward higher robotics and automation uptake. Industry groups emphasize that successful adoption requires investing in workforce upskilling and involving employees in transformation plans to maintain acceptance and productivity.
This is reinforcing parallel growth in industrial robotics, AI‑enabled systems and new training and education markets.