Jim Power: Trump's shadow looms over Ireland and the world in 2026

Apart from Trump and his constant barrage of tariff threats, there are several issues that will warrant close attention over the coming year

It seems certain that Trump's utterances and actions will continue to cast a shadow over global economics and global politics for the foreseeable future.

It would be difficult to conjure up a more unusual year than the one just past, so let’s hope 2026 does not come close to emulating it or, horror of horrors, surpassing it. 

One word dominated 2025, that word being ‘Trump’. The constant barrage of tariff threats and announcements caused global consternation and instilled significant uncertainty into business planning. However, the resilience of business came to the fore, and globally the economic performance was nothing like as weak as might have been expected.