The global economy is going through a period of great complexity, shaped by geopolitical tensions, evolving trade policies, and rapidly changing monetary dynamics. Recent developments related to the conflict in the Middle East are contributing to increased uncertainty in energy, financial, and currency markets, amplifying the volatility of the international macroeconomic environment.

One year after the inauguration of the Trump administration and the “Liberation Day,” U.S. economic policy choices are reshaping global balances and trade relations. At the same time, the European Union’s agreements with Mercosur and India open up interesting scenarios, while also posing challenges for the Italian manufacturing system. In this context, understanding the outlook for monetary policy in the U.S. and the Eurozone, and monitoring developments in foreign exchange markets, is essential to interpret investment opportunities and risks and to guide effective and competitive corporate strategies.

The discussion will be led by Alessandro Merli, Professor of International Economics at Bologna Business School, who will offer participants new interpretative frameworks to understand these phenomena and anticipate their impact on corporate strategies.

At the end of the meeting, the following topics will have been explored:

• geopolitical and trade tensions and their effects on the global economy and energy markets
• U.S. economic policy and its impact on global macroeconomic balances
• opportunities and risks of the EU–Mercosur and EU–India agreements for Italian companies
• the outlook for monetary policy and foreign exchange markets in the U.S. and the Eurozone.