MENA’s Trade Growth Is Now Being Driven by Imports, Not Exports
Exports have stagnated over the past decade, while imports have risen steadily, reinforcing MENA’s demand-led growth story.
China’s Ports Reached Record Throughput in 2025 as Freight and Container Volumes Hit New Highs
China handled 18.3 billion tonnes of port freight in 2025, including 5.7 billion tonnes of foreign trade cargo.
North Africa’s Manufacturing Landscape Offers Scale, Export Platforms and Specialisation
Egypt anchors domestic manufacturing scale, Morocco leads industrial export integration and Tunisia is a high-intensity specialist.
South African Exports to China Could Accelerate Under New Zero-Tariff Deal
The new framework could unlock growth in non-commodity exports, especially food, autos and industrial intermediates.
India Is Emerging as the World’s Next Major Consumer Market
India’s momentum is anchored in broad-based household demand, supported by urbanisation, middle-class expansion and consumer import intensity.
AI Adoption Is Now Mainstream, But Enterprise-Scale Impact Remains Limited
Most firms now use AI, but enterprise-wide scaling remains rare, meaning productivity gains are concentrated in a small group of larger firms.
ASEAN-6: Diversified Industrial Engines of Southeast Asia
Combining high-tech export platforms, scale-driven domestic markets and a global trade hub, ASEAN-6 is a uniquely diversified industrial ecosystem.
China Provincial Growth Map 2025: Central and Western Momentum, Coastal Underperformance
Central and western provinces led growth in 2025, while several northern and southern regions expanded well below the national average.
Thailand: ASEAN’s Established Industrial Platform
Thailand’s USD 300 billion export base, rising FDI inflows and manufacturing depth keep it central to ASEAN supply chains.
The Next Wave of Global Industrial Export Growth Is Consolidating in Key Emerging Markets
Industrial export growth is concentrated in emerging-market hubs supplying the U.S., EU and China, led by Mexico and Taiwan (China).