Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

WTO Boosts Forecast on Global Trade Growth in 2017 | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55383659
Caption:

File photo of the World Trade Organization logo seen at the entrance of the headquarters in Geneva April 9, 2013. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich


The World Trade Organization on Thursday said that global trade will rebound strongly in 2017 as commerce rebounded strongly, but cautioned that major threats could still derail the positive trajectory.

“Growth of 3.6 percent would represent a substantial improvement on the lacklustre 1.3 percent increase in 2016,” it said.

According to AFP, the better outlook was driven by improved trade flows within Asia and stronger demand for goods in North America through the first half of the year, the 164-member Geneva-based body said.

An April projection of 2.4 percent growth for this year has been upped to 3.6 percent, the organisation said in a press release, headlined “WTO upgrades forecast for 2017 as trade rebounds strongly”.

The WTO had been steadily lamenting the stagnant global trade climate that persisted following the 2008 financial crisis.

While the organisation’s director general Roberto Azevedo applauded the return of good news, he renewed his concerns over worrying political headwinds, especially protectionism.

“The improved outlook for trade is welcome news, but substantial risks that threaten the world economy remain in place and could easily undermine any trade recovery,” Azevedo said in a statement.

The modest bounce back in oil prices appears to have helped investment in the United States, the WTO said, noting however that current crude prices of around $50 (42 euros) per barrel were still well below 2014 peaks.

The organisation also stressed that rapid growth this year is unlikely to be repeated in 2018, in part because it will not be measured against the low 2016 base.

Also, “fiscal expansion and easy credit in China are likely to be reined in to prevent the economy from overheating,” the statement said.

That, combined with an expected interest rate rise and tighter monetary policy in major economies, will likely keep 2018 growth at around 3.2 percent, the WTO predicted.