Africa’s Industrial Leaders and Rising Manufacturing Economies
Morocco, South Africa and Egypt remain Africa’s leading industrial economies; DRC, Djibouti and Gabon recorded the largest gains in competitiveness
Africa’s Trade Is Shifting Increasingly Toward China
China’s share of Africa’s trade has expanded sharply since 2001, with imports from China now matching Europe’s share
Africa’s Export Growth Remains Commodity-Led, with Scale Concentrated in a Handful of Economies
Exports have grown steadily since 2015, but minerals, fuels and metals still dominate, while five countries account for half of the total
Asia Is Driving the World’s Largest Expansion of Power Generation Capacity
Demand across Asia is driving simultaneous expansion in renewable generation, fossil fuel capacity and electricity grids
China’s Clean Tech Export Surge Is Reshaping Global Industrial Supply Chains
Rapid growth in batteries, EVs and solar technologies is reinforcing China’s position at the centre of global clean energy supply chains.
Africa’s Import Demand Continues to Grow as Industrial and Consumer Markets Expand
Machinery, electronics, fuels and industrial inputs dominate Africa’s imports, and China remains the continent’s largest supplier
China’s Passenger Car Export Engine Accelerates, led by Electric Vehicles
A sharp post-2021 step-change in car exports is scaling rapidly and expanding China’s reach across developed and emerging markets.
Global Trade Imbalances Widen in 2025 as Surpluses Strengthen and Deficits Deepen
Surplus economies expanded export capacity, while deficit economies absorbed more goods despite selective adjustments across mid-tier markets.
Global Trade Has Recovered To Scale, With Export Power Still Concentrated
Merchandise trade reaches USD 26 trillion in 2025, while the top 20 exporters account for 70% of global exports.
China’s Construction Output Remains Stable as New Project Pipeline Slows
New project starts have declined sharply since 2021 as real estate investment weakens, while completions continue to support overall construction activity.