Mega forces: An investment opportunity

Mega forces are big, structural changes that affect investing now - and far in the future. As key drivers of the new regime of greater macroeconomic and market volatility, they change the long-term growth and inflation outlook and are poised to create big shifts in profitability across economies and sectors. This creates major opportunities - and risks - for investors. Here we outline the five mega forces we are tracking – and will share our research on each over time.

The five mega forces we’re tracking

Demographic divergence

The world is split between aging and younger economies

The world is split between aging advanced economies and younger emerging markets – with different implications. Aging populations in major economies are poised to limit how much countries can produce and grow. By contrast, selected emerging market economies can benefit from younger populations and growing middle classes.

Read our take on demographic divergence

Digital disruption and artificial intelligence (AI)

Potential to boost productivity

Artificial intelligence can automate laborious tasks, analyze huge sets of data and help generate fresh ideas. But digital disruption goes beyond AI. Technologies are transforming how we live and work.

Read our take on tech

A fragmenting world

Rewiring global supply chains

In a marked departure from the post-Cold War period of increasing globalization, we see countries favoring national security and resilience over economic efficiency. Globalization is being rewired as competition between major powers intensifies.

Future of finance

A fast-evolving financial architecture

A fast-evolving financial architecture is changing how households and companies use cash, borrow, transact and seek returns.

Learn more on the future of finance

Energy transition

A massive reallocation of capital

Energy systems are being reshaped by growing demand, tech change, physical climate risks and evolving policy priorities.

Learn how we track the transition

Adopting new technology

The key to harnessing mega forces and their potential is to first identify the catalysts that can supercharge them and how they interact with each other.

Rapid adoption of technology can change the path of transitions. Markets can underappreciate the speed of transitions, creating investment opportunities. Conversely, exuberance over their potential can also cause temporary price spikes. AI has been turbocharged by the roll-out of ChatGPT and other consumer-friendly tools. We think markets are still assessing the potential effects as AI applications could disrupt entire industries and bring greater cybersecurity risks across the board.

Scarcity vs. abundance

Could AI accelerate innovation and lift economic growth, ushering the world into a new era of abundance? Or will scarcity in power, labor, capital and materials dominate? Our 2026 Midyear Global Outlook looks at the big calls investors can’t avoid — and how the possibility of multiple, very different economic outcomes demand a portfolio rethink.

Download our Midyear Outlook

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