2025 has so far been a year defined by international trade tensions, triggered by the economic policies of US President, Donald Trump. The consequences of these tensions go beyond the daily headlines, and we are continuing to see major impacts across the global economic landscape, including all major smart building markets. Recent macroeconomic indicators highlight the impact of trade tensions on both regional and global growth prospects. In its April update the International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded economic growth forecasts for 2025 across the board for advanced economies with the US projections being hardest hit, down from 2.7% to 1.8%, attributing the sharp revision to tariff-induced uncertainty and investor caution, while giving a 40% probability of US recession should trade tensions escalate further. Globally, growth is now forecast at just 2.8% for 2025, down from 3.3% in the IMF’s January outlook, with China’s growth also revised downward to 4.0%, reflecting the cumulative drag of retaliatory […]