Despite a year marked by geopolitical uncertainty stemming from the war in the Middle East and the trade war between China and the U.S., recent data show that global trade has continued to grow.

Global trade volumes expanded by more than 5% in the first half of 2026, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the United Nations body tasked with promoting economic development in the region.

The figure is particularly significant because it more than double the 1.9% growth the World Trade Organization (WTO) had forecast for the entire year.

“This expansion, largely driven by the strong demand for electronic components associated with the AI-related investment boom, was led by China and other developing economies in Asia,” the report noted.

Latin America was one of the regions that benefited most from this expansion in global trade.

According to ECLAC, goods exports from Latin America and the Caribbean rose 20% year-over-year in the first half of 2026, while imports increased 14%.

“The strong export performance of Latin America and the Caribbean in 2026 is largely........

© Buenos Aires Herald