The vast majority of business executives globally expect 2026 trade growth to match or exceed the pace of 2025, despite more than half anticipating high or very high policy uncertainty, and 90% expecting trade barriers to rise or remain unchanged. These are the findings of the DP World Global Trade Observatory (GTO) Annual Outlook Report, released January 20 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The report finds that 94% of executives globally expect steady or growing global trade this year, reflecting confidence despite rising frictions and volatility. Asked where trade growth potential is greatest in 2026, executives most frequently pointed to Europe (22%) and China (17%), followed by Asia Pacific (APAC) (14%) and North America (13%).
This positive sentiment is broadly shared by executives in the APAC region, where growth expectations remain notably optimistic, the report’s authors said. In Thailand, 73% of executives surveyed expect faster growth – the third-highest result in the sample after India and the U.S. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the Philippines and China, the corresponding percentages are 61%, 50% and 42%, respectively.
DP World says the report’s findings point to companies actively redesigning supply chains and trade routes to manage volatility and build resilience. In APAC, the strategy of increasing the number of suppliers has emerged as the most important diversification strategy in China and Indonesia – with 69% and 66% of the respective markets’ executives indicating this – while 52% in Thailand and 48% in the Philippines are prioritizing friendshoring.
The report is based on a proprietary survey of over 3,500 senior supply chain and logistics executives across eight industries and 19 countries in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North and South America, exploring their views on global trade.