A resource for anyone interested in global business, culture, sustainability, and travel. Here you’ll find news, updates, best practices, trade shows, and even trade leads.
CNBC’s “Power Lunch” team discusses the setup for stocks in 2026, what investors should know, the market reaction to the U.S. military action in Venezuela ,and more with Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab. For access to live and exclusive video from CNBC subscribe to CNBC PRO: https://cnb.cx/42d859g
Global trade is undergoing one of its biggest transformations in decades. Despite tariff tumult, geopolitical tensions and AI acceleration, global trade continues to grow. New research from the McKinsey Global Institute finds international trade isn’t slowing down, it’s just realigning.
McKinsey Senior Partner Shubham Singhal and McKinsey Partner Jeongmin Seong explore the forces reshaping global trade, investment and business strategy in 2026. They explain how much of that trade growth came from AI, how China’s role is evolving, and the rise of ASEAN economies as global supply chain connectors.
This episode has been adapted from our McKinsey Live webinar series.
This edition of the Global Trade Update examines the strong, but increasingly uneven expansion of international trade in the first half of 2026.
Global goods trade is estimated to have reached approximately US$13.7 trillion in the first half of 2026, up 12.5 % from the same period in 2025. Services trade grew by 10.5 %. Together, goods and services added around US$2 trillion to global trade, putting it on course for a record annual value.
Learn more fro UNCTAD
In this webinar, explore how leading organizations seek graduates who can think across borders, navigate cultural complexity, and adapt to rapidly shifting global dynamics. You’ll gain insight into how a Master of International Business equips you to develop this mindset through immersive learning, diverse cohorts, and real-world experiences that prepare you to operate with confidence in international environments.
Gain a new perspective on what’s new and what’s next for your supply chain operations.
As the largest manufacturing and supply chain event of 2026, MODEX showcases supply chains from every angle. The show will feature more than 1,000 exhibits, 200 educational sessions, and four keynotes. MODEX’s combination of hands-on product and technology demonstrations, expert-led education, and in-person networking makes it a must-attend experience for supply chain professionals.
Discover
Products and innovations from more than 1,000 leading providers, and see them in action on the show floor.
Learn
From the industry’s brightest minds about how key trends and technologies will impact your operations during 200 seminars and four keynote sessions.
Connect
With more than 50,000 of your peers from across the United States and around the world at the industry’s premier supply chain event.
If you’re looking for a multifaceted supply chain experience in 2026, look no further than MODEX. As the biggest event of the year for supply chain professionals, MODEX is where innovation meets opportunity. Nowhere else can you get face-to-face with the future and explore new dimensions of success.
Make plans now to attend—and bring your team—to MODEX 2026, April 13–16 in Atlanta.
Don’t miss MODEX!
Register for free admission at modexshow.com
Georgia World Congress Center | Atlanta | April 13–16, 2026
U.S. tariff policies are changing at an unprecedented pace. Do you have the insights you need to navigate customs clearance and ensure accurate imports? Watch our June 26, 2025 “Tariff Trends 2025” webinar, where our expert panel dive into the latest tariff updates and their impact on your shipments. Speakers: Marcus Eeman, Senior Manager, Customs, Flexport; and Tim Vorderstrasse | Head of Drawback, Flexport.
World of Concrete, Informa Markets’ premiere exhibition serving the thriving construction and masonry construction industries, returns for its 51st edition at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), January 21-23, 2025; Education 20-23.
The 2024 edition, which was World of Concrete’s 50th Anniversary event, gathered nearly 60,000 registered professionals from various industry sectors for three days of exhibition and four days of education. Over 1,400 leading companies and an all-time high 185 education sessions highlighted the event’s continuing importance to the evolving construction industry landscape as a platform to develop, connect, explore and learn. World of Concrete continues to serve as a hub for exploration and innovation as leading exhibitors announce new products on the show floor each year, administering first-time reveals of new software, tools and machinery poised to increase efficiencies and safety.
Last year, more than 50 international exhibitors from around the world, a milestone 325 first-time exhibitors, and well-known brand names like Caterpillar, Hilti, Husqvarna, John Deere, Makita and Stihl comprised the tools, resources and tricks fueling the future of the trade. New audiences and the incoming next generation of concrete professionals continue to be a focus for increasing visibility in the sector.
World of Concrete 2025 will have all the newest products, leading-industry suppliers, resources, and valuable education necessary for concrete & masonry professionals. This is THE commercial construction industry’s first, largest and most important annual international event for this community across the globe! WOC 2025 will have 1,300+ exhibitors and more than 750,000 net sq. ft. of indoor & outdoor exhibit and event space, and an enhanced world-class education program.
WOC will once again work closely with the U.S. Commercial Service in the global promotion of the 2025 show to bring international buyers and U.S. exhibitors together to expand business both domestically and overseas as part of the Trade Event Partnership Program (TEPP).
Sustainability continues to be important both domestically and globally. Producing World of Concrete gives us many opportunities to improve our impact environmentally, socially, and economically in the regions we operate. World of Concrete is evolving and will play a role in helping the market improve its own sustainability.
World of Concrete 2025 will take place in the North, Central & South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and will be utilizing the Silver and Bronze Lots for outdoor exhibits and events. Please see the designated areas below:
Central Hall
Material Handling: If it’s new or trusted in material handling, it’s here: find trucks, excavators, paving equipment and more for material delivery, distribution, concrete placement, and earth moving.
World of Concrete General: Find equipment, tools, products and services for the commercial construction, concrete and masonry industries.
Work Truck LIVE!, powered by Modern WorkTruck Solutions magazine, will highlight innovations in the design and configuration of work trucks and innovative accessories that will help contractors increase safety and productivity.
North Hall
The Producer Center: Featuring a comprehensive marketplace of materials, equipment, demos, specifically for concrete producers.
Technology for Construction: The innovation showcase featuring the newest products and tools for the commercial construction industry from top information technology and systems providers.
Precast: Featuring the latest products and technologies in the precast/prestressed sector.
Concrete Masonry: This area showcases everything for producers of concrete masonry (block, segmental retaining wall units, veneer, slabs, pavers, and roof tiles, admixtures, equipment & supplies and pigments.
Concrete Reinforcement: Features the leaders in concrete reinforcement, showcasing reinforcement bending, cutting, straightening, and fabricating machinery, reinforced positioners & locators, epoxy-coated, steel, glass fiber, galvanized bar and all types of reinforcement accessories.
World of Concrete General: Find equipment, tools, products and services for the commercial construction, concrete and masonry industries.
Cement Production Pavilion: Features the leaders of the equipment and support services used in cement manufacturing: kilns, separators, mills, dryers, silos, bagging machines, and plant automation & instrumentation.
AAC – Autoclaved Aerated Concrete: State-of-the-art Production Plant Solutions from internationally renowned experts. Discover the new building material — Discover new opportunities for the US construction industry including production technology, typical application of AAC in the construction industry, blocks, panels, claddings and more!
South Hall
World of Masonry: Find all things masonry, from products, tools, information, and emerging technologies that professionals need to stay on the cutting edge.
Concrete Repair & Demolition: View an array of the latest surface preparation equipment, scarifying, grinding, sawing equipment, sealants, joint fillers and more.
Concrete Surfaces & Decorative: Features surface protection products, coatings, cleaning solutions, stains, pigments, molds, and more products to help you capitalize on this expanding segment.
Silver Lot
Outdoor Exhibits (Lot in front of Central Hall): Featuring industry-leading exhibiting suppliers, live demos, heavy equipment, & decorative concrete products.
Bronze Lot
Outdoor Events: See exciting championships, skills challenges, creative demos, and events you won’t want to miss.
Outdoor Exhibits: Featuring industry-leading suppliers, live demos, masonry and more.
The CIM Silent & Live Auctions
The live auction will take place on Wednesday, January 22, at 1:00 PM, with the silent auction occurring right before the live event.
Recognizing the need for people with enhanced technical, communication and management skills, the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program was developed in 1996 at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). Since then, the program has expanded to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, California State University – Chico, and Texas State University. In 2021, South Dakota State University became the fifth program university. The individuals graduating from this program have the skill set necessary to meet the growing demands of the progressively changing concrete industry of the 21st century.
This program is made possible, in large part, by the combined efforts of the national and local concrete industry. The National Steering Committee (NSC) for CIM, in collaboration with local patron groups at all five universities, provides both funding and oversight for the program. To date, World of Concrete has helped to raise $18 million+ for the CIM program over the past 19 years.
World-Class Education
The 2025 World of Concrete Education Program will offer more than 180 sessions of solid, in-depth learning options for every concrete/ masonry professional including technical applications, business best practices, project management, and safety-relevant topics for every skill level from beginner to experienced, every level of responsibility from office and field personnel to business owners. Over 40% of our educational offerings will be brand new for 2025. We’re also pleased to bring back several of our most popular technical seminar series, industry certifications, sessions for emerging leaders, interactive workshops, and industry training courses/forums, plus a full track presented in Spanish!
World of Concrete 2025: January 21-23; Education 20-23, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Attendees must register online by 12/12/24 to save on Exhibits-Only fees and to book hotel rooms through onPeak for the best rates and locations at www.worldofconcrete.com.
For the third edition of the Allianz Trade Global Survey, the company asked over 3,000 companies in China, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the UK and the U.S .about their outlook for global trade in the year ahead. The survey found that exporters are more optimistic, but also more worried about geopolitical risks, shortages of inputs & labor and financing & non-payment risks. More details are available here.
In The Economist’s June 2024 Global Outlook video, head of global forecasting and economics, Tom Rafferty, and global principal economist, Steven Leslie, discuss the U.S. economic outlook.
Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, Petya Koeva Brooks, and Daniel Leigh for the latest IMF projections and analysis of the global economy/