Global merchandise trade surges in Q1, slowdown expected: WTO

GENEVA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Global merchandise trade volume posted strong growth in the first quarter of 2025, but the pace of expansion is expected to slow later in the year, the World Trade Organization (WTO) said on Tuesday.

According to the latest data released by the WTO, the volume of world merchandise trade rose by 3.6 percent quarter-on-quarter and 5.3 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, driven largely by a surge in imports in North America in anticipation of higher tariffs in the United States.