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The good fortune of high productivity growth and a surge in available labor has propelled the U.S. economy, while other economies have been less lucky. A key risk to the U.S. outlook is the potential waning of the positive supply-side factors, though expansionary fiscal policy may cushion any negative impact on growth as the era of sound money lives on.

Emerging markets (EMs) remain an efficient gateway to powerful secular themes, from technology-driven transformations to consumer growth stories. However, expectations of higher U.S. interest rates and a stronger dollar are likely to challenge EM currencies and investor sentiment in 2025, and the 2024 U.S. election introduced a new layer of uncertainty. While EMs present a landscape of opportunity amid increasing macroeconomic headwinds, investors should be prepared for uneven outcomes across regions.

Growth is at the top of the menu for finance leaders as Grant Thornton’s CFO survey shows that the uncertainty associated with the U.S. election in 2024 has given way to unrestrained optimism about the U.S. economy and meeting business goals. Other results from the survey were broadly aligned with high growth expectations—and with the transformation to an increasingly digital landscape that has been a focus for CFOs for the past few years. As CFOs look ahead, the environment appears to favor investment in growth.

As the new U.S. federal landscape takes shape, this outlook report is designed to provide key insights into policy implications and how they may impact various industries in 2025, including agriculture, energy and environment, healthcare, tax, technology, trade, and transportation and infrastructure.

The top-line findings in this Report may sound familiar. Costly cancer claims. Widespread cardiovascular and metabolic health concerns. Unmet mental health and wellness needs and medical trend pushing up costs. But behind these enduring issues, a lot is changing—employers’ and insurers’ responses to these well-acknowledged themes cannot remain static. The trends and employer actions outlined in this Report will help employers deepen dialogue with their advisors and insurers.

At some point on your family journey and through the key life stages, you may take a step back and realize the wealth and legacy you’ve created are going to live on for generations. As you begin to reflect, you can look to the legacy and estate planning guide in this Digest as a starting point. You’ll also find helpful checklists, thoughtful questions, and perspectives to prepare for the generational transition—including how to talk with your heirs about their inheritance.

Since the disruption of COVID-19, organizations have had to navigate soaring inflation, a rapid increase in interest rates, and escalating global tensions that have destabilized supply chains. All around, there has been enormous pressure on organizations to adapt and move from one crisis to the next. It’s no longer an option to simply take shelter and wait for the storm to pass and rely on traditional approaches to risk management. Against this backdrop, companies have started to adapt an ‘antifragile’ approach to risk, one that seeks to find opportunities in crisis.