Most Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) sovereigns remain supported by strong balance sheets and alternative export channels despite the economic and geopolitical fallout from the US-Iran war, which has prompted Fitch Ratings to revise its 2026 global sovereign sector outlook to “deteriorating” from “neutral.”

The ratings agency said the conflict is expected to weaken global economic growth, raise inflation and bond yields, and heighten geopolitical risks, although the resilience of the global economy and financing conditions has helped temper some of the risks.

"We have changed five regional sector outlooks to ‘deteriorating’ to reflect conflict spillovers. Greater China is the only region to improve – to ‘neutral’ – as robust exports sustain growth and deflation appears to be ending. Crude oil inventories, domestic refining capacity and diversified energy sources shield Greater China from the energy shock."

It said the impact on the security and business environment in the GCC will be lasting. 

Strong AI-related exports support many APAC sovereigns, but that region’s economies are highly energy-intensive and reliant on oil and gas imports through the Strait of Hormuz, it said.

Geopolitical risks remain high in Eastern Europe from the Ukraine war, Russian hybrid activity, and tensions between the US and other NATO members, it said.

Higher energy prices are weakening economic and inflationary prospects in developed markets, adding to public finance pressures. Given weaker starting positions, the agency expects fiscal support in Western Europe to be less than in 2022-2023. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will lower US tax revenues, widening this year’s general government deficit to 7.9% of GDP.

Most Latin American sovereigns appear well positioned, owing to favourable macroeconomic starting conditions, policy buffers, and in some cases terms-of-trade benefits.

A rapid end to the US-Iran war could return the global sector outlook to ‘neutral’. Sector outlooks are distinct from Rating Outlooks, where the net positive balance has moved to zero from +4 pre-war. Upgrades outnumber downgrades year-to-date by nine to two, but a longer war or lasting damage to energy facilities or regional security could cause more negative actions, it said.

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