World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026

This report is prepared by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in conjunction with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the five regional commissions. It is the annual flagship economic outlook of the United Nations. The January 2026 edition projects global growth of 2.7 per cent in 2026 (2.8 per cent in 2025 and 3.2 per cent pre-epidemic average), inflation continues to fall back to 3.1 per cent and global trade growth slows to 2.2 per cent. The mid-year update of May 2026, hit by the Middle East conflict, lowered global growth to 2.5 per cent in 2026 and 2.8 per cent in 2027, and inflation in developing economies rose from 4.2 per cent to 5.2 per cent, reversing the global anti-inflationary trend. The September 2026 update further pegged 2026 growth at 2.6 percent and 2027 at 2.9 percent, noting that Brent crude is up about 40 percent since February to about $100 per barrel. The report emphasizes that high debt and limited fiscal space are constraining the ability of developing countries to cope.

Original link: https://desapublications.un.org/publications/world-economic-situation-and-prospects-2026