Global trade maintained its growth momentum in the first half of 2026, but rising price pressures and increasingly uneven expansion marked the period, according to a UNCTAD report released July 22. High-tech products emerged as a key driver amid heightened global economic uncertainty. The report estimated global merchandise trade at about $13.7 trillion in H1 2026, up 12.5% year on year from the same period in 2025, while services trade grew 10.5% year on year. Combined goods and services trade added roughly $2 trillion, putting global trade on track to hit a record high for the full year.