WTO hikes 2026 trade growth forecast on AI boom

Business Recorder • Oct 9, 2026

GENEVA: The WTO on Thursday sharply raised its global trade growth forecast for 2026, with merchandise trade riding the AI boom and proving more resilient than expected amid the Middle East crisis. Thanks to supply chain adaptations and the surge in artificia...

GENEVA: The WTO on Thursday sharply raised its global trade growth forecast for 2026, with merchandise trade riding the AI boom and proving more resilient than expected amid the Middle East crisis. Thanks to supply chain adaptations and the surge in artificial intelligence investments, the World Trade Organization now projects 3.9 percent growth in the volume of merchandise trade this year, up from 1.9 percent predi...