Skip to main content
Steering through change banner
MASTERCARD ECONOMICS INSTITUTE

Economic Outlook 2025

Steering through change

Insights from the Economics Institute

Our insights can help your business keep moving forward

Steering through change teaser
Blog
Economic outlook 2025

Explore the Mastercard Economics Institute's 2025 Outlook on global economic shifts, regional variations and risks from fiscal and monetary policy changes.

Europe holiday spending outlook 2024 teaser
Blog
Europe holiday spending outlook 2024

Holiday spending is expected to be up by 2.9% (year over year, excluding automobile sales) through November-December driven by strengthened consumer fundamentals, resilient labor market, and low unemployment.

LoL teaser
Blog
Did you know? League of Legends World Championship is set to ignite the fire of gaming

Did you know? The 2024 League of Legends World Championship is set to ignite the fire of gaming. Discover the significance of this event and global gaming trends using Mastercard's aggregated data.

Economic Institute Blog

Key insights and deep dives into topics coming to you throughout the year

Steering through change teaser
Blog
Economic outlook 2025

Explore the Mastercard Economics Institute's 2025 Outlook on global economic shifts, regional variations and risks from fiscal and monetary policy changes.

Europe holiday spending outlook 2024 teaser
Blog
Europe holiday spending outlook 2024

Holiday spending is expected to be up by 2.9% (year over year, excluding automobile sales) through November-December driven by strengthened consumer fundamentals, resilient labor market, and low unemployment.

LoL teaser
Blog
Did you know? League of Legends World Championship is set to ignite the fire of gaming

Did you know? The 2024 League of Legends World Championship is set to ignite the fire of gaming. Discover the significance of this event and global gaming trends using Mastercard's aggregated data.

Eventful Economy: Marathon Momentum teaser
Blog
Eventful Economy: Marathon Momentum

How did the marathon boost local spending? Join the marathon's economic ripple effect as we explore the streets lined with businesses enjoying increased activity from runners and cheering crowds.

Maldives teaser
Blog
The Maldives: From exclusive to accessible

The Maldives has experienced impressive growth in affordable accommodation options, experiencing a record-breaking year of tourist arrivals in 2023.

Woman on tablet banner
Blog
Did you know? EU small and medium-sized businesses are growing in retail, T&E and online

Small and medium-sized businesses are poised for growth in the EU after flexibly overcoming a challenging economic period.

Family looking at christmas decorations
Blog
US holiday spending outlook 2024: Meet this year’s holiday shopper

What’s the outlook for US holiday spending? All aboard the Mastercard Holiday Express as we tour the economic landscape and meet this year’s holiday shopper.

Did you know? Consumers are shopping earlier in the day, week and year teaser
Blog
Did you know? European consumers are shopping and eating earlier

Since 2019, consumers have shifted their consumption earlier in the year, week and day. In which industries is this more common, and why?

japan-tourism-blog-teaser
Blog
Did you know? Inbound tourism in Japan is booming

Japan is the top trending tourism destination in Asia. Where are the tourists from? What are they spending on? We unpack Japan inbound tourism trends.

India Festive MEI teaser
Blog
Eventful Economy: Getting Festive in India

During India’s festival season, gifting and special traditions see consumers increase their spending. Which sectors see a boost? Read on to live the celebrations!

How Europeans beat the heat teaser
Blog
Did you know? How European consumers beat the heat

In summertime, temperatures rise and consumers in Europe adapt their spending. Which industries see a boost? How does online shopping perform?

Episode 2 - Michelle Meyer video webpage - MEI insights_Teaser
Video
How can understanding economic metrics help consumers navigate in a changing economy?

Episode 2 of Your Personal Economist with MEI Chief Economist Michelle Meyer, discussing how understanding economic metrics can help consumers navigate in a changing economy.

How are the latest trends in consumer spending reshaping the economy? teaser
Video
How are the latest trends in consumer spending reshaping the economy?

Episode 1 of Your Personal Economist with Michelle Meyer, Chief Economist at MEI discusses the latest trends in consumer spending and how they’re reshaping the economy.

Did you know? A lift in US small business longevity teaser
Blog
Did you know? A lift in US small business longevity

U.S. small business survival rates are bouncing back after falling during the pandemic. What does this tell us about the health of U.S. small businesses?

Clicks and commutes teaser
Blog
Clicks and commutes

Working from home, catalyzed by the pandemic, is now a permanent feature of U.S. business. It's also contributed to a lift in online shopping. What’s ahead?

Did you know? An uneven commute teaser
Blog
An uneven commute

Areas without access to public transportation put residents at an economic disadvantage. Where are the U.S. transit deserts? How do they affect residents?

travel tile image
Report
Travel Trends 2024: Breaking Boundaries

Record numbers of passengers traveling and record spending. Longer vacations. New top destinations. In 2024, the travel industry is breaking boundaries.

Did you know? Europe blog teaser
Blog
Did you know? Where summer travelers go in Europe to splurge, save or party

Europe is a summer travel hotspot. Where are budget-conscious travelers headed? Which destinations are most luxurious? And where is nightlife the liveliest?

eclipse tile image
Blog
Eventful Economy: Total eclipse of the economy

The 2024 total solar eclipse was a highly anticipated event in the United States, with millions of Americans across the country traveling to witness the celestial phenomenon. How did this impact the economy?

masters tile image
Blog
Eventful Economy: An economic hole in one

The annual Masters Tournament has golf fans flocking to Augusta, Georgia, providing a lift to the local economy from a concentration of spending. Golf isn’t just a sporting event but an economic one, too.

Carnival tile image
Blog
Eventful Economy: Carnival, Rio de Janeiro

During Carnival 2024, tourists spent more money at Rio de Janeiro’s restaurants, bars and grocery stores. How else did this year’s event impact the economy?

ski blog tile image
Blog
Did you know? Where skiers go to splurge or save

Ski resorts worldwide are benefiting from continued consumer demand for experiences. From luxury resorts to budget-friendly options, where are skiers going to splurge or save?

return tile image
Blog
Did you know? US Return rates have stopped climbing

Return rates increased as US consumers grew accustomed to easy returns. But retailers incur additional costs. What was the US return rate trend in 2023?

swift lift teaser image
Blog
Eventful Economy: The Swift Lift

As her concert tour travels across five continents with 151 scheduled shows, Taylor Swift delivers a boost to the local economies. What is the economic impact of The Eras Tour?

australian open tile image
Blog
Australian Open 2024: Serving an ace for the economy

As tennis fans watch the first Grand Slam, the Melbourne hospitality industry is having its own rally with visitors hungry for an experience beyond the courts.

ICC tile image
Blog
ICC Cricket World Cup: A boost to India’s economy

The Indian hospitality industry saw a huge boost from the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, underscoring the true impact of big events on local economies.

people walking infront of store
Blog
Inflation in Europe and the "high-low" economy

Inflation in Europe has led to a high-low economy that has squeezed out the middle. What does this mean for consumers, and how long will it last?

Cricket blog world cup teaser
Blog
How the ICC Cricket World Cup benefits the Indian economy

The ICC Cricket World Cup brings people together and has a positive ripple effect on local economies. How does the event benefit the Indian economy?

small business growth in shifting economy teaser image
Blog
US small business growth in a shifting economy

Small business growth has been spurred by the pace of business creation, the rise of online marketplaces and resilience in consumer spending. What’s next?

gcc tile image
Blog
Tourism fuels economic diversification in the Gulf states

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region stands out as one of the most resilient tourist hubs in its post-Covid recovery.

holiday spend 2023 teaser image
Blog
Holiday spending 2023

Lower inflation plus a strong job market equal an empowered shopper. Who is the U.S. holiday shopper of 2023 and how will they impact holiday spending?

London clock tile image
Blog
London's economic clock

How has the UK economy evolved over the last few years? London is seeing a shift in consumer spending both during the day and night as a result of hybrid work patterns.

labor_market_tile
Blog
When the consumer spends, the job market grows

The U.S. economy is proving resilient, thanks in part to a positive feedback loop between consumer spending and job market growth.

australias_economicclock_blog
Blog
Australia's Economic Clock

An analysis of the day and night economies in Sydney and Melbourne Australia, looking at changes in consumer spending by day of week and time of day.

nyc_economy
Blog
NYC's Economic Clock

The changing spending patterns in New York City offer valuable insights into the evolving nature of work and its impact on the NYC economy.

  • as part of one of the world’s largest and most dynamic technology companies in the payments space, sitting at the center of commerce for more than 50 years

  • and near real-time measures like SpendingPulse™ drawn from aggregated and anonymized sales activity across Mastercard’s global network, and proven external data sources

  • , with a hand-picked team of economists, data scientists, visual artists, storytellers, and others from across the public and private sectors

  • that melds hands-on, expert analysis with machine learning algorithms for deep, meaningful, and intuitive reporting

  • that allow users to customize their own pathways and derive hyper-relevant information to address their needs

  • to services such as Test & Learn® that allow clients to test the true impact of their ideas, moving from insights to action with certainty