The World Trade Organization (WTO) said on Thursday that global merchandise trade is expected to grow by 3.9 percent in 2026, up from its March forecast of 1.9 percent, driven by supply chain adaptation and strong investment in artificial intelligence (AI).
While raising the forecast for merchandise trade growth, the WTO’s latest Global Trade Outlook and Statistics report lowered the outlook for services trade in 2026 over the impact of the Middle East conflict.
The report also projected global GDP growth at 2.6 percent and 2.9 percent in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
