Global goods trade rose to about US$13.7 trillion in the first half of 2026, representing a 12.5 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025.
This is according to a recent United Nations Conference on Trade and Development report titled “Global trade continues to expand amid rising price pressures”.
UNCTAD said the increase was supported in part by higher prices, while global services trade grew at a slower pace, rising 10.5 per cent compared with the first half of 2025.
The strong performance in goods trade was supported by robust activity in East Asia and strong demand for AI- and electric vehicle-related products, including critical minerals and semiconductors.
UNCTAD said global goods trade recorded strong growth in the first half of 2026, with developing economies in East Asia playing a major role in the expansion.
Global services trade increased by 10.5 per cent over the same period.
Critical minerals recorded 38 per cent growth in the first quarter, while semiconductors increased by 25 per cent.
Batteries grew by 15 per cent, ICT goods by 14 per cent and electric cars by 11 per cent.
UNCTAD said trade by developing economies and South-South trade recorded double-digit growth over the past 12 months when East Asian economies were included.
Trade growth in the first quarter was primarily driven by developing economies in East Asia, which recorded double-digit quarterly growth, while other Asian subregions experienced negative quarterly growth.
Excluding East Asia, developing economies as a group recorded an overall contraction in trade in the first quarter.
The contraction was largely linked to reduced imports and exports from the Middle East and South Asia.
Developed economies maintained a similar pace of positive quarterly trade growth as in the previous quarter.
Intra-regional trade expanded in most regions, although it remained weak in South America.
Over the past 12 months, import growth was particularly strong in Africa, East Asia and Europe, with these regions also recording robust growth in intra-regional trade.
In May, the organisation raised concerns that least developed countries (LDCs) are losing about 10% of their exports to G20 economies due to their inability to comply with increasingly complex non-tariff measures (NTMs).
According to UNCTAD, while global attention has largely focused on tariff-related tensions following the 2025 trade disruptions, non-tariff measures have now become the dominant driver of trade costs for most economies, particularly developing countries.
In its April 2026 edition, the agency stated that global trade recorded a notable upswing in 2025, driven largely by strong manufacturing activity, which expanded by 11%.
Agricultural trade also grew, supported by higher activity in cereals, animal products, coffee, tea and spices.
UNCTAD had said that global foreign direct investment (FDI) increased by 6% to $1.6 trillion in 2025 from $1.5 trillion in 2024.
UNCTAD said high-income economies drove much of the increase, reflecting higher inflows to developed countries and the continued attractiveness of some high-income developing economies hosting large-scale projects and financial flows.
Nigeria’s FDI declined sharply in the first quarter of 2026, falling to $135.08 million from $357.80 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The decline came as Nigeria attracted total capital inflows of $10.37 billion during the quarter, driven largely by portfolio investments and other short-term financial instruments.
