Imports worldwide worth $2,640 billion, or 11.1 per cent of total imports, were affected primarily by tariffs along with other trade measures introduced between mid-October 2024 and mid-October 2025 - more than four times the $611 billion coverage recorded in the preceding period, said a Word Trade Organization report.
Global merchandise trade outpaced expectations in the first half of 2025, driven by increased spending on AI-related products, a surge in North American imports ahead of tariff hikes, and strong trade among the rest of the world. However, next year trade growth is likely to fall, warns WTO.
