FacebookTwitterEmailLinkedin The global economy entered 2026 on a stronger-than-expected footing, supported by dynamic trade, expanding industrial production in developing economies, and robust investment driven by artificial intelligence (AI). The outlook, however, has shifted rapidly after geopolitical tensions intensified in late February 2026, according to UNCTAD’s “Trade and Development Foresights 2026: Global economy faces a geopolitical challenge” report. Conflict in the Middle East disrupted energy markets, financial conditions and major shipping routes, including through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas trade. RelatedNews US forces seize crude oil tanker in the Indian Ocean ABS PSC Report Q1 2026: 601 vessel detentions from January to March var jnews_module_21373348_0_6a0d9726894c4 = {"header_icon":"","first_title":"Related","second_title":"News","url":"","header_type":"heading_8","header_background":"","header_secondary_background":"","header_text_color":"","header_line_color":"","header_accent_color":"","header_filter_category":"","header_filter_author":"","header_filter_tag":"","header_filter_cpt_post_tag":"","header_filter_cpt_tribe_events_cat":"","header_filter_cpt_web_story_category":"","header_filter_cpt_web_story_tag":"","header_filter_text":"All","sticky_post":false,"sticky_post_filter":false,"post_type":"post","content_type":"all","sponsor":false,"number_post":"2","post_offset":0,"unique_content":"unique1","include_post":"","included_only":false,"exclude_post":"21373348","include_category":"","exclude_category":"","include_author":"","include_tag":"4346,2929,2882,528,1582,233","exclude_tag":"","exclude_visited_post":false,"post_tag":"","tribe_events_cat":"","web_story_category":"","web_story_tag":"","sort_by":"latest","show_date":"","date_format":"default","date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","pagination_mode":"disable","pagination_nextprev_showtext":"","pagination_number_post":"2","pagination_scroll_limit":0,"ads_type":"dis