# The World Trade Organisation has sharply cut its 2026 global merchandise trade growth forecast to 0.5-percent, down from 1.8-percent. The organisation cites delayed effects of US president Donald Trump’s tariffs. WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala warned of a bleak outlook but said the global trading system remains resilient. For 2025, the WTO raised its forecast to 2.4-percent, driven by import surges ahead of tariff hikes and booming artificial intelligence-related trade.
WTO slashes 2026 global trade forecast to 0.5% amid US tariff fallout