Comprehensive risk dashboard from Coface with detailed risk assessments for 160 countries and 13 sectors
Coface’s 2024 survey on corporate payment practices in China highlights a growing sense of caution among suppliers, who are increasingly reluctant to offer credit sales and are extending payment terms amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
The Trump administration’s tariff policy is expected to lead to rising prices, increased unemployment, and accelerating inflation, and it could even trigger a balance of payments crisis. This situation presents serious strategic risks, particularly for highly specialized and export-reliant economies such as Switzerland.
In the wake of significant electoral activity and persistent geopolitical tensions impacting global commerce, businesses face a sustained era of intricate and concerning political risk. This reality demands strategic adaptation. The landscape is marked by political instability, social unrest, geopolitical rivalries, the rise of populism, armed conflicts, and coups d’état.
Apple and Nvidia, two of the world’s most valuable companies, have announced plans to invest over USD 1 trillion in the U.S. electronics supply chain. While these commitments are framed as a push for industrial sovereignty and reshoring, a closer examination reveals that these moves are more symbolic than transformative, carrying hidden economic and geopolitical risks.
As US-China trade tensions escalate, American soybeans find themselves once again at the forefront. China, which absorbs 75% of global soybean imports, imposed retaliatory tariffs in March 2025 targeting US exports, threatening an industry already weakened by falling prices. Simon Lacoume, sector analyst at Coface, analyzes the implications of this tariff war for Midwestern farmers, traditional supporters of Donald Trump.
Better assess your risks with Coface's global risk assessments for 160 countries and 13 sectors.
China is swiftly expanding its influence in the European electric vehicle market, benefiting from a perfectly integrated production chain and substantial governmental backing. As Europe strives to achieve its goal of eliminating combustion engines by 2035, will its automotive industry be able to keep pace, or will Chinese manufacturers definitively take the lead?
The United States has imposed additional tariffs of 10 percent on imports. Countries with a surplus in goods trade will pay more. The tariffs for Switzerland are the highest among all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, reaching 31 percent.
From the U.S.-China rivalry to conflicts in the Middle East, geopolitical tensions are reshaping the global trade landscape. Rather than a complete breakdown of globalization, what we are witnessing is a strategic realignment of trade flows, supply chains, and economic alliances.
Gold soared to $2,921 per ounce in February 2025, a 45% increase from the previous year, fueled by geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, and growing demand from central banks. As investors turn to safe havens, will gold’s rise persist? Discover the driving forces behind this surge.
Political stability returns, but reforms stall. Following Germany’s general election, major reforms are expected to be delayed due to coalition negotiations and constitutional constraints.
The year 2025 begins under the banner of uncertainty. With political upheavals, geopolitical tensions, and persistent economic challenges, businesses must navigate an increasingly unpredictable environment. Xavier Durand, CEO of Coface, provides a clear-eyed assessment of the situation and analyzes the key trends that will shape the year ahead.
The year 2025 is shaping up to be full of economic uncertainties. Coface, a leader in credit risk management, provides a detailed analysis of global economic prospects, focusing on key geopolitical and economic risks as well as investment opportunities. Discover our forecasts for the United States, Europe, China, emerging markets, and Switzerland.
Donald Trump's recent statements, in which he did not rule out economic or military measures to take control of Greenland, have once again put the territory in the spotlight. These remarks have sparked reactions from the prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland, as well as other European and NATO leaders. This raises a key question: What does Trump want, and why is Greenland so strategic for him?
Experts are warning of liquidity risks in China’s real estate sector. The situation remains tense, even though the major Chinese real estate developer Country Garden Holdings has recently restructured its debts and postponed potential liquidation.
On January 27, 2025, a major shock wave rippled through financial markets and the artificial intelligence industry. Chinese startup DeepSeek unveiled a new low-cost, open-source model that, despite skepticism from some analysts, could threaten hundreds of billions invested in AI infrastructure.
Germany, once the engine of Europe’s economic growth, is facing prolonged stagnation. With ten consecutive quarters of flat or declining performance, the outlook remains bleak. Revised GDP forecasts for 2024 and 2025 underscore the need for urgent structural reforms to address deep-rooted challenges in the manufacturing sector and adapt to shifting global dynamics.
China is no stranger to overcapacity in production – but the current oversupply is characterized by the fact that it affects a wide range of products this time. Overcapacity can be countered by increasing domestic consumption or reducing domestic production. However, external demand also plays an important role – through exports or, increasingly, through direct investment abroad. In view of the current geopolitical developments towards more protectionism, however, this could lead to an intensification of tensions in world trade. A recent Coface study looks at ways of reducing China's overcapacity.
The growing competition between the US and China is profoundly reshaping the global electronics industry. For regions like Europe and Japan, which lack technological independence, forming strategic alliances has become a critical path to remaining competitive in this rapidly evolving landscape.
The U.S. election has come to an end, with Donald Trump emerging as the clear winner, securing both the majority of electoral votes and the popular vote. Ahead of this historic outcome, a livestream discussion hosted by Coface featured Martin Naville, Senior Advisor to the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce, and Klaus W. Wellershoff, Chairman of Wellershoff & Partners. Together, they analyzed the potential political and economic impact of the election results.
The recent U.S. election, which determined not only the presidency but also seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate, is expected to have significant economic repercussions globally. Coface analysts warn that the U.S. economy, already prone to overheating, could see this trend intensify, affecting Swiss businesses, especially those operating in the American market.
Coface's latest Latin America Corporate Payment Survey 2024 reveals a challenging year ahead for businesses in the region, as they grapple with more restrictive credit terms and longer payment delays. These trends underscore the financial strains faced by companies operating in Latin America amid an uncertain global economic backdrop.
The latest country and sector risk barometer highlights Switzerland’s resilience and stability within the global economic landscape. In the 2024 report, our barometer has upgraded the ratings of four countries and downgraded one. While economic growth in the eurozone is expected to reach 1.3% in 2025, Switzerland is projected to see a higher rate of 1.8%, reflecting a strong economic foundation that sets it apart from its European counterparts.
The 2024 US election stands as a crucial moment, not just for the United States but for the global stage. With the withdrawal of Joe Biden, an unexpected contest between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will take place on November 5, and the outcome could have lasting consequences on international relations and the global economy, particularly for Switzerland.
Eighty-five per cent of companies in France are affected by late payments. This is the finding of our France Corporate Payment Survey. The results also show that the payment period has increased to an average of 51 days. In Germany, the figure is 32 days, in Asia up to 70 days.
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