Core Insights - The World Trade Organization (WTO) has significantly revised its global trade growth forecast for 2026 down to 0.5%, a substantial decrease from the previous estimate of 1.8% made in August [1] - The report indicates that service trade will also be indirectly affected by tariff impacts, with global service export growth expected to decline from 6.8% in 2024 to 4.6% in 2025, and further down to 4.4% in 2026 [1] - WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala noted that despite strong headwinds from unilateral tariff measures and trade policy uncertainty, the multilateral trading system provides stability, allowing global trade to show some resilience [1] Trade Growth Projections - The WTO has adjusted its 2025 global goods trade growth forecast from 0.9% in August to 2.4% [1] - In the first half of 2025, global goods trade volume is projected to grow by 4.9% year-on-year, with the dollar value of global goods trade increasing by 6% [1] - Key drivers for this growth include North America increasing imports to avoid high tariffs, improved macroeconomic conditions, and a surge in demand for AI-related products [1]

Group 1 - The World Trade Organization (WTO) has significantly lowered the global goods trade growth forecast for 2026 to 0.5%, down from the previous prediction of 1.8% made in August [1] - The report indicates that the slowdown in goods trade will also indirectly impact service trade, with global service export growth expected to decline from 6.8% in 2024 to 4.6% in 2025, and further to 4.4% in 2026 [1] - Trade restrictions and policy uncertainties are spreading across more economies and industries, posing major downside risks to global trade [4] Group 2 - Despite the challenges posed by unilateral tariff measures and trade policy uncertainties, the global trade system shows resilience, supported by the stability provided by the multilateral trade system and appropriate responses from members to tariff changes [4] - The WTO has revised the global goods trade growth forecast for 2025 upward to 2.4%, from the previous estimate of 0.9% made in August [6] - In the first half of 2025, global goods trade volume is expected to grow by 4.9% year-on-year, with the dollar value of global goods trade increasing by 6%, driven by factors such as increased imports in North America to avoid high tariffs, improved macroeconomic conditions, and a surge in demand for AI-related products [6]

Economic Indicators - In July, China's CPI increased by 0.4% month-on-month, reversing a 0.1% decline from the previous month, while year-on-year it remained flat; the core CPI, excluding food and energy, rose by 0.8%, marking the highest increase since March 2024 [1] - The PPI in July decreased by 0.2% month-on-month, but the decline was less than the previous month, indicating a narrowing of the decrease for the first time since March, with a year-on-year drop of 3.6% [1] Healthcare Standards - The National Medical Insurance Administration has released the first national standard in the healthcare sector, titled "Technical Specifications for Convenient Services of Medical Insurance Information Platform," which will be implemented on January 1, 2026, marking a significant milestone in the standardization of medical insurance in China [2] Robotics Industry - The global robotics industry experienced explosive growth in the first half of the year, with domestic manufacturers seeing average growth rates between 50% and 100%, a rare occurrence in the industry’s history [3] - The CEO of Yushutech emphasized that while current hardware is not perfect, it is sufficient for present needs, with future improvements focused on reducing costs and enhancing reliability [3] Trade and Tariffs - The average trade-weighted tariff rate imposed by the U.S. on all products has surged to 20.11%, significantly higher than 2.44% at the beginning of the year, marking the highest level since 1933 [3][4] - The World Trade Organization has downgraded its forecast for global goods trade growth in 2026 from 2.5% to 1.8%, citing the negative impact of recent tariff adjustments on global trade prospects [3][4]