Global trade set to top $35 trillion this year
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has announced that global trade in goods and services is expected to exceed 35 trillion U.S. dollars in 2025 for the first time.
Despite challenges such as geopolitical tensions, higher costs, and uneven global demand, trade continued to expand through the second half of 2025. UNCTAD projects global trade will grow about 7 percent year-on-year, adding 2.2 trillion dollars to last year’s total, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The report highlighted that stronger trade volumes, rather than price-driven inflation, are the main drivers of growth, reflecting steady global demand. East Asia led export growth with a 9 percent increase, while intra-regional trade rose 10 percent. Africa and South-South trade also showed strong gains, underscoring the rising influence of emerging economies.
UNCTAD noted a growing trend of friendshoring and nearshoring, as trade shifts toward politically aligned or geographically closer partners, reshaping global patterns. Looking ahead, the organization forecast slower trade growth in 2026 due to weaker global activity, rising debt, higher trade costs, and ongoing uncertainty.
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