Marieke: Why opinions are divided on geopolitics
ING chief economist and global head of Research, Marieke Blom says while many economists are concerned about the global economic outlook, recent research has detected more optimism among business leaders.
In an article on ING Think, Marieke (pictured) said ING interviewed decision-makers from European businesses with a significant global footprint and from different industries in December 2024 and January 2025.
“Surprisingly, nearly half of these decision-makers are either unsure about the overall impact of geopolitics on their company or believe it has been only marginally negative or positive overall,” she said.
“Others believe the impact has been negative in the past but expect to gain from geopolitics in the future by developing an edge over competitors or seeing increased activity in their sector in Europe.”
“As economists, we are puzzled, but there are valid reasons why the C-suite is more upbeat, offering valuable insights for both businesses and economists,” said Marieke.
Corporate calm vs economists’ concerns: why opinions are divided on the impact of geopolitics