Global power rivalries and strategic standoffs top the list of most severe near-term risks heading into 2026, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report released Wednesday.
Half of the business executives and other leaders surveyed said they expect turbulent times over the next two years, and only 1% said they expect calm, according to the report. The resulting picture is one of the world sitting on the precipice.
The report captures a shifting landscape where geoeconomic confrontation leaps to the top spot on the list of business worries over the next two years — fueled by increasing competition and weaponizing economic tools like tariffs, regulations, supply chains and capital constraints. The report warns it could lead to a substantial contraction in global trade.
“Concerns growing over an economic downturn, rising inflation and potential asset bubbles as countries face high debt burdens and volatile markets,” writes economist Saadia Zahidi, managing director of the World Economic Forum, which publishes the Global Risks Report annually.
The world’s largest insurance brokerage, Marsh
