Below are some basic examples to provide some indication of the considerations you could take into account in different contexts.

If you are discussing newly implemented regulation relating to the investment activities of investors or the ability of corporations to minimise their tax liabilities, consider whether this regulation could impede the ability of those affected by the regulation to maintain or exceed their levels of profitability. 

• If banks are more restricted in their ability to invest or corporations face higher tax bills, could this indicate their profit levels will reduce? Could this in turn indicate that they may be unable to continuing investing or expanding to the same extent in the future? If so, how might this affect the firm? Could it result in a reduction in the amount of M&A work available in the market? 
• Conversely, could new regulation provide any opportunities for the firm? For instance, might clients require assistance to help them to understand (and thus comply with) the new regulation?

If there is an oil crisis and some of the firms’ major clients are oil companies, how will this affect the clients’ performances? Could this reduce the firm’s flow of work (and thus profitability)? How might the firm be able to support those clients? In addition, could the firm hedge its position by pursuing other opportunities or industries?

If you are discussing a weakened economy or an influx of insolvencies in the context of a commercial law interview, could this provide any opportunities for the firm’s Insolvency practice (if it has one)? Could there be a general increase in disputes as companies sue each other to recover payments owed in the fear that their debtors will otherwise become insolvent and thus default on the debt? Is the firm’s litigation practice well placed to win this type of work?

In the context of industry challenges, clients are increasingly looking for greater value for money, whilst the financial services industry in certain jurisdictions is heavily saturated (meaning firms may have to increasingly compete on price). So how could this affect firms from a business perspective? Is it becoming harder to compete? If so, how could the firm respond? Should the firm expand into less saturated markets? Should it consider opening a new office in one of these markets and if so, where? Alternatively, should the firm develop innovative ways to provide additional value to clients? 

When reading about current affairs and industry trends, try to form opinions on how whatever you are reading might affect your prospective employer, its clients and the markets in which those clients operate.