IMF edges up 2026 global growth forecast to 3.1%

BANGKOK - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday nudged its 2026 global growth forecast to 3.1 percent, up 0.1 percentage point from its July projection, as economies lifted by the artificial intelligence (AI) investment boom offset those hurt by the Middle East conflict. In its latest World Economic Outlook, titled "Resilience Under Strain, Urgent Choices," the IMF projected global growth slowing from 3.5 percent in 2025 to 3.1 percent in 2026 before recovering to 3.4 percent in 2027.