World Bank raises 2026 global growth forecast to 2.6 pct

NEW YORK, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank on Tuesday revised 2026 global growth forecast upward to 2.6 percent, 0.2 percentage points higher than its projection in June.

In its January 2026 edition of the Global Economic Prospects report, the World Bank also warned the growth is still a slowdown from the 2.7 percent pace seen in 2025, with a widening gap in living standards internationally.

The 2020s are "on track to be the weakest decade for global growth since the 1960s," the report said.

While contributing the surprising resilience of global economy to strong U.S. growth and AI investment, the World Bank expects global trade growth to decelerate markedly in policy uncertainty in 2026, as stockpiling fades and the impact of tariff measures builds.

The World Bank is also concerned with a widening gap in living standards between richer and poorer nations.

The World Bank called for policy reforms, including trade liberalization and investment in technology and education, to foster sustainable growth, while noting downside risks from trade tensions persist. ■