The International Monetary Fund IMF on Monday upgraded its forecast for global economic growth in 2026, pointing to a surge in artificial intelligence and technology investment while warning that renewed trade tensions or a reassessment of AI-driven productivity gains could still derail the outlook.
The IMF said the world economy is now expected to grow 3.3 per cent this year, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from its October projection. Growth would match the pace recorded in 2025, according to the fund's latest update to its World Economic Outlook.
Despite the upgrade, the Washington-based lender cautioned that the expansion remains uneven. IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said recent trade and tariff disruptions had not disappeared, even as headline growth held up.
