Welcome to the Year Ahead

Caution is the takeaway from Bloomberg Businessweek’s fourth Year Ahead issue. Each fall we try to prepare readers for what lies around the corner—with the caveat, of course, that even deeply researched forecasts aren’t always right. The business leaders and experts we interviewed said they could see paths to growth for many industries but warned it’s best to tread carefully.

Markets seem shaky, although they’re not in danger of imminent collapse. Economic growth will remain steady, so long as China keeps its debt under control. Oil prices will likely go up, but $100 a barrel is nowhere in sight. We open with an overview by Peter Coy, who explains why the global economy will continue to be in a muddle in 2017, and then survey global economics, technology, finance, retail, and energy.