2026 Issue Catalog

The first quarter of 2026 marked not just another stage of development for several sectors of the global economy, but the beginning of a structural transformation. The key factors triggering significant industry shifts were the intensification of the AI boom and the conflict in the Middle East. The AI boom continues to fuel the ultra-high growth rates of the semiconductor and IT equipment industries, revealing new bottlenecks in supply chains. As a result, a number of high-tech industries are facing component shortages and rising prices, while the consumer electronics industry is steadily moving toward stagnation. The software industry has begun a massive business model shift (a transition to an AI-based agent economy), which has caused the stock prices of traditional software developers, particularly American giants, to plummet. The escalation of the military conflict in the Middle East has defined all market trends in the global oil and gas industry, propelling it to the top of stock markets and impacting the vast majority of other industries.