Trade and
Development Report 2026
UNCTAD says Global Growth is Projected to Slow to 2.6% in 2026, Developing
Countries Lag
The report finds
that market access and the ability to move into higher-value activities now depend
more heavily on technology, finance and geopolitics.
Key points
·
Developing economies are projected to grow by 4% in
2026, down from 4.7% in 2025, as they face new technological and policy barriers.
·
Asia is projected to contribute 59% of global growth
in 2026. But the industrial path that powered its rise is becoming harder for others
to follow.
·
AI is a key driver of dynamism in global trade, but
gains are extremely concentrated. In the report's case study of an advanced AI server
rack, profits after tax account for 68% of traced value added, while workers receive
less than 15%.