Media & Press

Higher uncertainty and higher global tariffs are taking a toll on trade: In 2019, the volume of global trade of goods and services should grow at its slowest pace in a decade (+1.5%). As a result, exporters are likely to see USD420bn in losses this year, according to Euler Hermes’ latest Global Trade report: “Trade Wars: May the Trade Force be with you in 2020 and beyond”.

Euler Hermes releases today the first edition of its proprietary “SMЕ Businеss Climаtе Index” (SMEB). It assesses the business environment for SMEs in 13 selected economies: the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hong Kong, Singapore.

Findings of the research, based on a survey of more than 2,300 SMEs in 13 countries across Asia, Europe and North America, show that two-fifths of businesses (42%) believe rising costs and overheads are their greatest challenge. Government regulation (36%) and cashflow (32%) were also cited in the top three concerns in 2019.

Declining turnover is often identified as the initial sign of corporate distress, but a new study from Euler Hermes shows it is not as reliable as it seems. Instead, the study highlights three other indicators that can provide warning signs up to four years before an acute insolvency risk for European small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and midcaps.

TRIBRating is a service developed through the Euler Hermes collaboration with Moody’s Investors Service, formed in late 2016. Launched in 2017 and already operational in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. TRIBRating is now being introduced in Switzerland as the fifth country of its wider European rollout.