Washington, January 13 (QNA) - The global economy is proving more resilient than previously predicted, with global GDP growth in 2026 expected to improve slightly compared with the June forecasts, the World Bank (WB) said Tuesday.

However, it warned that this growth remains largely concentrated in advanced economies and will contribute only marginally to reducing extreme poverty.

The WB's semiannual Global Economic Prospects report shows that global growth is projected to slow slightly to 2.6% in 2026, down from 2.7% in 2025, before returning to 2.7% in 2027.

The 2026 GDP growth forecast is up one-tenth of a percentage point from the June projection, while 2025 growth exceeded previous expectations by four-tenths of a percentage point.

The WB noted that roughly two-thirds of the upward revision reflects stronger-than-expected growth in the United States, despite trade disruptions caused by tariffs.

US GDP growth is expected to reach 2.2% in 2026, up from 2.1% in 2025, it outlined.

Indermit Gill, Chief Economist at the WB, said year after year, the global economy has become less capable of generating high growth, yet it appears more resilient in the face of policy uncertainty.

Gill added that global per capita GDP in 2025 was 10% higher than before the COVID‑19 pandemic, marking the fastest recovery from a major crisis in six decades.

However, he noted that many developing countries lag behind, with one-quarter experiencing lower per capita income than in 2019, particularly the poorest economies. (QNA)