For the second webinar in our Spring 2026 series we welcomed Liam Sides from Oxford Economics who presented “The Key Economic Challenges Facing European Cities in 2026”.
In this episode we explored:
- Why industrial cities are underperforming compared to service focused cities
- The global trends shaping cities in 2026
- Why affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges
Some links you may be interested in:
If you missed the session you can watch the recording below or catch up on our YouTube channel.
Abstract
2026 will be a year of divergence. Europe’s major service sector cities will tap into global growth while industrial and more rural regions fall behind. A range of factors are driving this outlook, including high energy prices, China’s move up the value chain, weak consumer demand, and tariffs. Yet not all is promising in major cities. House prices have increased significantly in recent years and will increasingly move from a political issue to an economic one. Please join this seminar to hear global city forecaster Oxford Economics outline their key themes for the year and what this means for their European outlook.
About the Speaker
Liam Sides heads Global City Analysis in Oxford Economics’ Cities & Regions unit. His team produces economic and demographic forecasts for cities and regions across Europe and works with local and national governments, as well as central banks, to highlight future growth trends across the continent. Before joining Oxford Economics, he was a UK civil servant, most recently serving as Head of Analysis in the Levelling Up Taskforce.