In this edition of According to Market Intelligence, we look into our crystal ball for the year ahead and explore these topics in depth via our Big Picture: 2023 Outlook reports.

Let’s start with supply chain and the economy.

• Consumer spending pivoted from goods to services during 2022, which slowed trade volumes, freed capacity and lowered shipping rates. These trends could continue in the year ahead, but geopolitical events could roil trade once again. Access supply chain report >
• Mother nature may be in the driver’s seat for 2023. Our economists are projecting recession across Europe and the U.S., but the severity of winter, and the associated impacts to energy markets, may shape the global outlook. Access Economics & Country Risk report >

Pivoting to tech, 2022 will be remembered for extreme volatility.

Tech companies, which sat atop the financial world during the pandemic, closed the year with mass layoffs and cost cutting.

• While there is promise in the metaverse, energy efficiency opportunities in datacenters, and stickiness with streaming, financial strain caught up to the biggest names in tech this year. Instability underscores the need for all businesses to adapt to change at lower costs, according to our TMT analysts. Access TMT report >

Lastly, M&A activity dropped to its lowest level since the onset of the pandemic during Q3.

Through the first nine months of the year, global M&A plummeted nearly 36% to $2.29 trillion, according to the latest Market Intelligence data. Access M&A report >

• A sharp turnaround is not on the horizon.
• But one catalyst that could come in the year ahead: a potential increase in distressed sellers.