{
  "id": 12913276,
  "title": "WTO hikes 2026 trade growth forecast on AI boom",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/wto-hikes-2026-trade-growth-forecast-on-ai-boom",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-08T16:56:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Channel News Asia",
    "slug": "channel-news-asia",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/wto-hikes-2026-trade-growth-forecast-ai-boom-6443491"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has significantly increased its global trade growth forecast for 2026, attributing the surge to the artificial intelligence (AI) boom and supply chain adaptations. The WTO now predicts a 3.9 percent growth in merchandise trade volume this year, up from the 1.9 percent forecasted in March. This projection marks a substantial improvement from the 2.6 percent growth anticipated seven months ago. WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala highlighted the resilience of the integrated world economy and rules-based trading system, stating that these factors enable essential products to reach businesses and households in times of disruption. However, certain sectors have been disproportionately affected by the Middle East crisis, with energy supplies dwindling and key products like fertilizers and fuels experiencing price hikes. Despite these challenges, the WTO reported that most economies outside the Middle East have demonstrated resilience, with global container traffic even increasing by 3.9 percent during the first seven months of 2026. The increase in AI investments and spending on related technologies, such as semiconductors, servers, and digital infrastructure, has more than compensated for the negative impacts of the conflict. Global spending on AI infrastructure is projected to grow by at least 30 percent this year, with further increases expected in 2027. The expansion of AI-enabling goods has transformed from a component of overall trade to a main driver, with a small number of East and Southeast Asian economies supplying these goods while North America drives demand. However, the WTO noted that trade resilience is not uniform, with services trade and some regions more exposed to the effects of the conflict. Asia is expected to record the fastest merchandise export growth at 9.9 percent, followed by North America at 5.7 percent. Export performance in Europe is projected to remain weak, declining by 0.1 percent, while the Middle East is expected to contract sharply by 17.2 percent. While overall trade growth remains positive, the WTO economists have lowered their forecasts for trade in services.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf Times Business",
        "title": "WTO hikes 2026 trade growth forecast on AI boom",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/wto-hikes-2026-trade-growth-forecast-on-ai-boom-12919502",
        "published": "2026-10-08T17:39:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}