Biweekly Global Business Newsletter Issue 151

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." — Albert Einstein

Welcome to the 151st Edition of the Global Business Update – This quote captures the global business mindset needed for 2026. Trade, technology, and geopolitics are no longer separate conversations—they are increasingly the same conversation.

This issue highlights how ongoing uncertainty around tariffs and trade rules, uneven economic momentum across regions, and the rapid embedding of artificial intelligence into strategy and workforce planning are reshaping how companies compete and expand.

The Winners in 2026

A consistent message runs through these stories: the winners in 2026 will not be the most aggressive globalizers, but the most disciplined and pragmatic ones—leaders who invest in due diligence, localization, and smart market-entry structures before scaling.

The past year reminded many companies that preventable mistakes—weak partner selection, misreading local hiring practices, and underestimating regulatory realities—can quickly turn opportunity into costly detours.

AI: Opportunity and Risk

AI adds another layer of complexity. It is becoming both a competitive weapon and a governance challenge as jurisdictions move to regulate its use in hiring, monitoring, and performance management. In 2026, AI will be a performance accelerator—but also a risk factor that requires active management.

International Franchise News

The same pragmatism appears in the international franchise stories at the end of this issue: Burger King UK planning 30 new company-owned restaurants a year, franchise operators consolidating for scale in India, and global leaders like McDonald's and Popeyes proving again that local adaptation—not standardization—drives international success.

2026 will reward adaptability, local insight, and the ability to turn difficulty into advantage.

Highlights in Issue #151

• All of the World's Oil Reserves by Country, in One Visualization - Visual Capitalist
• Visualising AI Competitiveness Across Countries - Voronoi App
• US economy expected to grow faster in 2026 despite stagnant job market - Fox Business
• U.S. automakers urge Washington to uphold USMCA - The Globe and Mail
• 3 Mistakes Companies Make When Expanding Internationally - INC. Magazine
• These Economists Nailed Their 2025 Forecast: Here's What They Say About 2026 - Investopedia
• Global employment trends and what's ahead: 2025 in review and 2026 preview - Lexology
• Platinum set for biggest monthly gain in 39 years on EU auto policy boost - Reuters

Book Review

This edition's book review highlights Global Value Chains and Geopolitical Uncertainty: Disruption and Transformation edited by Imran Ali, William Ho, and Thanos Papadopoulos. It is a timely guide to how global trade and cross-border operations are being reshaped by a new and lasting reality: geopolitical uncertainty has become a permanent operating condition rather than an occasional disruption.

The book examines how political tensions, supply shocks, industrial policy, and fast-moving technologies are changing how goods and services move across borders—and what businesses and governments can do to adapt.

Words of Wisdom

"The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life." — Satya Nadella, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams." — Henry David Thoreau