New Delhi: Global trade is expected to grow 4% in 2026 “well above what was anticipated when the conflict in the Middle East began” but slower than 4.4% in 2025, the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said Friday.
In its 2026 Trade and Development Report, the UNCTAD said that in 2026, higher trade values are being driven by price increases amid the energy shock and export controls, investment screening and supply-chain conditions are making strategic sectors harder for new entrants to access.