1. Tech
India sees surge in “AI‑first” roles as tech firms ramp hiring
Tech companies in India are increasingly listing job openings labelled “AI‑first”, prioritising skills in machine learning, data architecture and generative AI. With India’s vast talent pool and global role in tech services, this signals a shifting cost‑and‑capability base for global B2B tech providers.
2. Tech
China’s EV export push hits a snag as subsidies are cut in next five‑year plan
China is omitting electric vehicles from its strategic industry list in its 2026‑2030 plan, signalling an end to heavy export‑subsidy support and a pivot toward market‑driven growth. For B2B firms in the global auto supply‑chain, including tech, component and logistics players, this could alter demand trajectories and sourcing strategies.
3. Industrial
European industry caught in cross‑fire of China’s rare‑earths war
Europe’s manufacturers—especially in EVs, wind turbines and defence—face heightened risk as China tightens rare‑earths export controls, where it holds dominant processing share. This means B2B industrial supply‑chains need to accelerate localization, diversification and risk‑mitigation of key raw‑material dependencies.
4. Marketing / Sales
Shortening B2B sales‑cycles: 45% of deals now close in 14 days or less
New data shows that nearly half of B2B purchasing decisions are now wrapped up within two weeks, up from 38% previously. This compression forces GTM (go‑to‑market) teams to prioritise speed, real‑time personalization and agile content over long‑haul nurture funnels.
5. Wildcard
Qatar National Bank partners with TransferMate to extend B2B multicurrency collections globally
QNB has teamed up with global fintech TransferMate to expand multicurrency receivables and local account solutions for corporate customers worldwide. For B2B sellers and service providers operating globally, this signals evolving financial‑infrastructure enabling cross‑border scale and complexity.
