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SECTOR RISKS
Anticipate sector risks and make informed decisions
Sector risk refers to the likelihood that an industry may be weakened by economic, financial, or structural factors. It reflects a sector’s sensitivity to economic fluctuations, cost pressures, and changes in demand.
Construction, automotive, agri-food, textile… Each sector reacts differently depending on the region of the world. Understanding these dynamics allows you to anticipate vulnerabilities, adjust your commercial strategies, and target the most promising markets.
Download our latest regional sector risk assessments now to gain a clear and up-to-date view of the sectors to watch.
Sector risks: a strategic lever to anticipate disruptions
In an unstable economic environment, integrating sector risks into your strategic decisions is essential to:
- Identify sectors most exposed to external shocks (rising production costs, geopolitical tensions, inflation)
- Adapt your commercial priorities according to the specific dynamics of each sector and region
- Anticipate cyclical reversals or structural transformations (energy transition, digitalization, regulatory pressure)
- Reduce your exposure to customer or supplier risk in high-claim sectors
- Guide your investment, financing, or product development decisions based on sector prospects
Companies that combine sectoral and country data gain sharper insights and make better decisions to secure their growth.
Sector risk: a decision-making tool based on comparable and updated data
Managing sector risk is not just about avoiding fragile industries. It involves adopting a dynamic, comparative, and up-to-date view of the economic health of sectors in each region.
Our approach is based on:
- An analysis of payment behavior observed by Coface worldwide
- The use of sector financial forecasts: revenue, profitability, debt, cash flow
- A cyclical reading of the risks affecting each sector (demand, input prices, regulation, macroeconomic environment)
- Quarterly evaluations with regular updates in our risk barometer
With this approach, you benefit from comparable data across sectors and regions to refine your trade-offs and strengthen your risk management.
A rigorous analytical method based on concrete data and field expertise
Each quarter, our economists assess 13 key sectors in 6 major world regions, combining:
- Financial data published by over 6,000 listed companies
- Payment behavior observed by our international network
- Economic forecasts and trends likely to impact each sector
Coface has developed a statistical indicator of sectoral credit risk, which simultaneously synthesizes the evolution of five financial indicators: revenue, profitability, net debt, cash flow, and observed claims.
This method allows you to quickly detect at-risk or improving sectors, thanks to a clear classification into four risk levels: low, medium, high, or very high.
Focus on Switzerland: key sectors exposed to contrasting global dynamics
The Swiss economy relies on high-tech industries — pharmaceuticals, chemicals, watchmaking, machinery, agri-food — which export a large part of their production. These sectors, drivers of Swiss competitiveness, are also particularly sensitive to global demand trends, geopolitical tensions, and trade barriers.
Therefore, it is essential for Swiss companies to have a regional sectoral perspective to:
- Identify potential or risky markets linked to their specialization
- Adjust their export strategy based on the economic situation in their sectors
- Secure their often highly international value chains
This makes Coface’s sectoral analysis especially valuable for Swiss decision-makers: it provides a clear view of economic interdependencies that can strengthen or weaken their international position.
A global perspective, local expertise, tailored support
With 80 years of global experience and over 30 years in Switzerland, Coface is a global reference in country risk assessment and commercial risk management. Every day, our analyses help multinationals, Swiss SMEs, financial institutions, and insurers anticipate uncertainty and secure decisions at home and abroad.
Our strength lies in field expertise backed by unique resources:
- A database of 240 million companies worldwide
- 12,000 credit decisions made daily through our tools and analysts
- A presence in over 100 countries and coverage of 200 international markets
- A team of 600 experts specializing in risk analysis, credit management, and economic monitoring
Based in Lausanne and Zurich, Coface Switzerland supports Swiss companies in their international development with customized analyses and concrete solutions.
Exploring a new market? Looking to assess a partner or secure your international decisions?
Our experts are here to help with reliable, up-to-date information grounded in real-world experience.
Go further: country risk analysis
Sector risks vary by region… but also by country!
To complete your sector view, explore our country risk assessment covering over 160 economies worldwide. Updated quarterly, it helps you anticipate economic, financial, political, and commercial risks that may affect your international projects.
- Identify high-risk areas, monitor country ratings over time, and spot promising markets for your business.
- Access an easy-to-explore interactive map
- Download the risk map in PDF format
- View detailed country fact sheets with key indicators
Gain a clear and updated view of country environments to anticipate instabilities and secure your international decisions.
Access our country risk assessment.
