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Dun & Bradstreet Global Business Optimism Insights Report Finds Businesses Are Adapting Strategies Amid Trade Policy Uncertainty and Geopolitical Shifts
Two-thirds of global businesses and 72% of U.S. businesses are signaling pivots to friendlier markets or nearshore regions or diversifying supply chains .
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — September ##, 2025 — Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business data and analytics, today released its quarterly Global Business Optimism Insights report, revealing that business optimism is in decline as leaders worldwide recalibrate strategies in response to persistent global economic uncertainty and geopolitical headwinds. The report reflects the weighted responses from an August 2025 survey of approximately 10,000 business leaders across 32 economies and 17 sectors.
“Businesses are not retreating; they’re proactively adapting as shifting trade policies and global instability create a more challenging operating environment,” said Neeraj Sahai, President of Dun & Bradstreet International. “The complexity of the current environment indicates that organizations are balancing proactive adaptation while considering risks to their operations, and perhaps even delaying critical decisions. Companies are increasingly focusing on domestic markets, reducing exposure to volatile supply chains, and building operational flexibility to navigate ongoing uncertainty.”
Larger enterprises are leading the adjustment by leveraging broader supplier networks, stronger financial positions, and access to global markets. Medium-sized businesses are diversifying risk across geographies, while small companies continue to face pressure from tighter cash flows and weaker margins.
Key findings from this quarter’s report:
The Global Business Optimism Index declined 1.0%, after a 6.5% drop in Q3, signaling a shift in business sentiment toward strategic adjustment. This shift is underscored by rising optimism around sales (71.6%), domestic economic conditions (69.5%), and domestic orders (67.9%).
The Global Supply Chain Continuity Index declined 0.5%, with optimism levels down 19.0% year-to-date. This quarter’s slight dip highlights persistent vulnerabilities across global supply chain networks, suggesting that supply chain disruptions are a reality.
The Global Business Financial Confidence Index contracted 2.3%, due to weaker global demand, regulatory changes, and policy uncertainty.
67% of U.S. businesses reported they were absorbing cost increases, with 55% saying they were raising product or service prices, and 48% delaying salary increases. Further, 22% said they are responding by reducing the workforce, and 12% delaying hiring.
The Global Business Investment Confidence Index fell 2.5%, the fourth consecutive quarter of contraction, though less sharp than last quarter at 13.1%, as more businesses reported optimism for planned capital expenditure for this quarter (63.9%) than in the previous quarter (62.8%).
Average capacity utilization improved to 74.4%, the highest level since Q2 2024, signaling potential investment soon to expand capacity.
The Global Business ESG Index declined 5.0%, reflecting growing skepticism around sustainable finance globally. Roughly 3 in 10 businesses globally reported seeking or receiving sustainability-linked loans or green credit from banks. Similarly, just under 3 in 10 businesses participated in carbon credit or offset markets.
In terms of industry performance, the manufacturing sector did better than the services sector. Optimism rose in the manufacturing of metals (+7.4%), textiles (+5.9%), and electricals (+5.4%). Meanwhile, optimism fell in wholesale and retail trade (-8.1%), real estate (-7.4%), and utility services (-4.8%).
“The data shows a clear divergence in how businesses are responding to global headwinds,” said Arun Singh, Global Chief Economist at Dun & Bradstreet. “While large and mid-sized firms are cautiously increasing capital spending and optimizing capacity, small businesses are scaling back investment and struggling with higher borrowing costs and delayed payments. Across the board, businesses are becoming more selective, prioritizing smaller, high-impact investments and operational changes that offer clearer returns. This reflects a broader recalibration, not a retreat, but a shift toward precision and pragmatism.”
About the Global Business Optimism Insights Report
The Global Business Optimism Insights report is a synthesis of data from a comprehensive survey encompassing 32 economies, covering approximately 10,000 businesses and 17 sectors, alongside insights from Dun & Bradstreet, leveraging the firm’s proprietary data and economic expertise. The report is an amalgamation of five indices that reflect overall business optimism and expectations about supply chain continuity, financial and investment conditions and ESG initiatives. An index reading above 100 indicates an improvement in optimism relative to the base year, while an index reading below 100 signifies a deterioration in optimism.
View the full report here. Descriptions and information about the indices can be found on page 32 of the report.
About Dun & Bradstreet
Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, enables companies around the world to improve their business performance. Dun & Bradstreet’s Data Cloud fuels solutions and delivers insights that empower customers to accelerate revenue, lower cost, mitigate risk and transform their businesses. Since 1841, companies of every size have relied on Dun & Bradstreet to help them manage risk and reveal opportunity. For more information on Dun & Bradstreet, please visit www.dnb.com.
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