UNCTAD expects global growth to slow to 2.6% in 2026 — Anadolu Agency
In Turkey, Anadolu Agency reported that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) forecasts global economic growth of 2.6% in 2026. In 2025, the figure stood at 2.9%. The organization linked the slowdown to higher energy prices caused by the war in the Middle East, which is testing economic and financial stability.
Forecast for 2027
In its Trade and Development Report 2026, UNCTAD projected that the global economy will grow by 2.7% in 2027. Developing economies are expected to grow by 4% this year, compared with 4.7% in 2025. At the same time, they face new technological and political barriers.
Global trade in goods and services is forecast by the organization to increase by 4%. Last year, its volume reached a record $35 trillion, partly due to higher prices.
Uneven growth
UNCTAD expects the US economy to grow by 2.1% in 2026 and slow to 1.8% in 2027. Demand in the country is supported by investment in artificial intelligence and a stable labor market, although persistent inflation is reducing real wages.
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Western Europe, according to the organization, remains constrained by weak investment, trade fragmentation, and volatile energy prices. Meanwhile, South Korea and Japan benefit from demand for semiconductors and electronics.
Gap between countries
UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno said that the resilience of the global economy has proved stronger than expected, but it conceals a widening gap between countries. According to him, outside a few fast-growing Asian economies, developing countries are no longer catching up with developed states.
Moreno noted that advanced economies account for about 70% of new investment in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and clean technologies. Developing countries hold leading positions in critical minerals, but face difficulties in creating added value. He also warned about volatile portfolio investment flows and an expected third consecutive annual decline in official development assistance.
