2024 Issue Catalog

The Issue presents the most important development trends of key sectors of the global economy in 2024, highlighting their specifics in individual countries and regions of the world. The Issue also includes an overview of the factors that will determine the activities of the world's largest companies in 2025 — solutions in the field of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and cybersecurity; protectionist policies of the new U.S. administration; sanctions and geopolitical tensions; strengthening of China's technological sovereignty; reformatting of supply chains and others. Each industry section of the Issue contains 2025 development perspectives, shaped by the most significant factors for the industry.

Companies from developing countries continue to demonstrate high growth rates, however, the gap between Western competitors and them has narrowed in the first nine months of 2024. The crisis in the European automotive and steel industries, which had been looming throughout the year and finally broke out, became the key event of Q4 2024. Against the background of weak market conditions typical for most major countries of the world (USA, China, EU), India is becoming an increasingly bright exception, increasing its capacity in the semiconductor industry, consumer electronics, IT equipment, telecommunications and even the metallurgical sector. Artificial intelligence remains the main driver of the global IT sector; however, investors are beginning to be skeptical about its future prospects.

Companies from developing countries continue to outperform competitors from developed countries in most sectors of the global economy, except for three segments of the ICT sector — software, industrial IT equipment and platform business. The key drivers of industry trends are sanctions and geopolitical tensions (increased imports of equipment and accelerated development of the IT industry in China, relocation of electronics production from China to India and other countries, new transportation routes, integration of platform business into logistics); the AI boom (capacity expansion and subsidies in the semiconductor industry, new products in electronics and equipment, partnerships in software); fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers (the crisis in the European car industry, the winding down of projects and protective measures in the global steel industry).

Companies from developing countries are outperforming companies from developed world in key financial performance indicators in Q1 2024 in almost all industries except software; global logistics sector tensions are creating opportunities for Russia; telecom and IT companies are forcing development of artificial intelligence products; the global automotive and steel industries are trying to protect themselves from Chinese exports of electric cars and steel; major oil and gas companies continue the wave of mergers and acquisitions and are increasingly demonstrating their commitment to achieving sustainable development goals.

The Issue #1 presents the methodology of the Monitor and defines the sectors of the world economy to be studied in this and the next issues. These are industries characterized by a high degree of globalization – oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, automotive, information technology and others. For each of the industries, as a starting point, we review the dynamics of key financial indicators for 2018-2023 and identify the main industry trends that are unfolding in Q1 2024.