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GlobalData, a global market intelligence provider, has identified events that will define the performance of the US, European, Chinese, and Indian markets in 2026.
 
For the US, GlobalData expects moderating inflation, but an uneven improvement in rate and credit conditions. Growth is anticipated to depend on consumer resilience and corporate investment appetite, with real GDP growth expected to ease further to 1.76% in 2026. 

Europe is expected to maintain a low-growth baseline, with upside energy constraints forecasted to ease, and investment translating into productivity. Key watchpoints include energy costs, regulatory shifts, and industrial competitiveness measures. Growth is expected to rise marginally to 1.54% in 2026. 

As for China, GlobalData expects continued structural transition, with sector-specific demand patterns and sustained competitiveness in traded goods. Key dynamics for investors to watch are sector-level policy direction, export momentum, and household confidence. The Chinese economy is projected to grow at a slower pace of 4.3% in 2026.

India’s favourable growth backdrop is expected to continue, with capacity build-out and execution discipline likely to determine outcomes. Inflation stability and credit quality will be important as lending expands. The economy is projected to grow at an impressive 6.3% in 2026. 

“GlobalData expects global growth to remain subdued into 2026, with outcomes increasingly shaped by services inflation, the real cost of capital, and policy-driven constraints across trade, technology, and energy,” says Ramnivas Mundada, Director of Economic Research and Companies at GlobalData.

GlobalData notes that pressures and opportunities remain targeted across sectors. In the US, consumer demand is expected to favour brands with a clear value proposition, while technology spending shifts from AI tools toward workflow redesign. In Europe, attention will stay on grid and storage investment, auto and industrial transition execution, and financial-sector asset-quality discipline. China’s manufacturing scale and pricing are expected to keep global competitive pressure elevated, while consumer recovery remains selective. India’s BFSI expansion raises the importance of risk management, while infrastructure provides an opportunity where execution and input-cost control are strong.