UAE businesses show strongest global confidence now despite trade, tariff uncertainty

Dubai: UAE businesses are displaying some of the highest levels of confidence worldwide in managing trade and tariff challenges, according to HSBC’s latest Global Trade Pulse Survey, which tracks how companies across 17 markets are responding to shifting global trade conditions.

The findings show that, even as businesses elsewhere report uncertainty and weaker revenue visibility, companies in the UAE continue to outperform global peers on both confidence and results. The survey highlights that UAE firms are not only managing the current environment well but also using it to strengthen regional partnerships and reposition themselves for growth.

One of the survey’s most striking findings is that 68% of UAE businesses reported a positive impact on revenue over the past six months due to changes in tariffs and trade policies. This is significantly higher than the global average of 56%.
In contrast, only 15% of UAE companies said they experienced any negative revenue impact, compared with 26% globally, underscoring the resilience of the local corporate sector.

Business leaders in the UAE also say they now have a clearer understanding of how trade policies affect their operations. Seven in ten respondents (70%) reported a greater level of certainty, slightly higher than the global figure of 66%.

HSBC noted that UAE corporates are increasingly turning to South Asia to expand production and secure new trade channels. The region has seen growing economic links with the Middle East in recent years, and the survey indicates that UAE businesses are deliberately strengthening these ties.

According to the data, 89% of UAE firms expect their international trade volumes to grow over the next two years, with South Asia emerging as a priority region. Nearly one-third (31%) of UAE companies have increased production in India — far above the global average of 18%.
Production shifts to Sri Lanka are also more common among UAE firms, with 11% reporting increased activity there, compared with a global rate of 5%.

Deyana Cherneva, Head of Global Trade Solutions for the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye at HSBC Bank Middle East, said UAE companies are showing a proactive approach to the evolving trade landscape.
“UAE businesses are not only adapting to the current trade environment but are seizing the opportunity to re-shape their businesses to capture growth,” she said. “Increasingly, UAE business leaders are choosing to deepen partnerships with producers in South Asia, reflecting the deepening economic ties between Asia and the Middle East.”

The survey, which gathered responses from more than 6,750 business decision-makers across 17 markets, reveals a broad range of views on tariffs and global trade.

However, the results place UAE businesses among the most confident and forward-looking globally, supported by strong regional ties, strategic positioning and continued optimism about future trade opportunities.

As global supply chains continue to shift, the UAE’s strong performance in the survey suggests that local firms are well-placed to navigate uncertainty and capture new growth opportunities across key international markets.