Source page: McKinsey & Company
Commentary
Opportunity in trade uncertainty
Global Trade | Economy
October 2, 2025 – An increasing share of executives see changes in the trade environment as creating opportunities for their companies, according to a recent McKinsey Global Survey on economic conditions. Although this view is increasing—up seven percentage points from December 2024 to September—it still represents a small share of respondents, explain Senior Partner Sven Smit and coauthors. Trade policy shifts remained the most-cited risk to company growth for the second consecutive quarter, with only 34 percent indicating they are confident in their organization’s ability to navigate trade adjustments.
To read the survey, see “Economic conditions outlook, September 2025,” September 29, 2025.
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Visual form
Four-period column chart highlighting the opportunity share within a larger response base.
Layout / body structure
The visual is a single run of four vertical columns labeled by survey wave from December 2024 through September 2025. Each column uses a small dark segment at the bottom and a tall pale segment above it, so the reader moves left to right through time while comparing the size of the highlighted share.
What is being compared
It compares the share of respondents who say changes in the trade environment are one of the biggest opportunities for their companies over the next 12 months across four survey periods.
Measurement system
The values are percentages of respondents, printed inside the dark base of each column. The pale upper portion of the columns provides the full bar context, while the dark bottom band isolates the share of respondents naming trade change as a major opportunity.
Visible structure inside the graphic
Each column is mostly light gray with a dark-blue base segment labeled 8, 9, 11, and 15. The simple repeated column structure makes the increase in the highlighted bottom segment easy to track from one survey wave to the next.
Main takeaway from the visual
The opportunity share is rising across the survey waves, but it remains a minority position even in the latest reading.
Key standout values or extremes
The highlighted share climbs from 8 percent in December 2024 to 9 percent in March 2025, 11 percent in June 2025, and 15 percent in September 2025. September is the highest point in the series, but the column still shows that the opportunity-reading group is much smaller than the remainder of respondents.
Controls / sequence, when applicable
This is a static chart image with no in-chart controls to operate.
Companion media, when applicable
There is no separate companion audio or video; the chart image is the full visual on this page.