WTO raises its goods trade growth forecast to 3.9 per cent and cuts the services outlook
8 October 2026
The World Trade Organization released its Global Trade Outlook and Statistics update.
It raised its forecast for world merchandise trade volume growth in 2026 to 3.9 per cent, from 1.9 per cent in the earlier estimate.
For 2027 it expects merchandise trade volume to grow 4.1 per cent.
The forecast for commercial services trade volume in 2026 was cut to 3.3 per cent, from 4.8 per cent in the March forecast.
Services trade volume is expected to expand 6.4 per cent in 2027.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said an integrated global economy and a rules-based trading system gave economies the flexibility to keep essential goods flowing.
In plain words
WTO World Trade Organization — The intergovernmental body that administers the rules of international trade and settles trade disputes.
Trade volume Trade measured in quantity terms — Trade counted by quantity rather than by value, so price changes do not distort the growth figure.