Global Macroeconomy & Geoeconomics 2025–26: IMF World Economic Outlook, US Tariff Regime, EU-China Trade Deficit & WTO Multilateral Order

According to the IMF's July 2026 World Economic Outlook update, what was the projected real global GDP growth rate for 2026?

Following the accessions of Comoros and Timor-Leste, what is the total number of sovereign members in the World Trade Organization (WTO)?

According to the WTO World Trade Report 2026, approximately what percentage of global merchandise trade continues to be conducted under Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff terms?

The European Union's bilateral trade deficit with China reached an alarming threshold reported in 2025-2026 at more than what daily equivalent amount?

On which major clean-technology import from China did the European Commission impose significant countervailing duties (up to 35.3%) to counter foreign state subsidies?

Under the simulation model published in the WTO World Trade Report 2026, what permanent loss to real global GDP would occur if the world economy fragments into two rival geopolitical trading blocs?

What is the term widely used in international trade diplomacy to describe relocating manufacturing supply chains exclusively to nations that share shared geopolitical values and alliances?

Which organ of the World Trade Organization responsible for hearing appeals has remained non-functional due to the blockage of judge appointments by the United States?

Which section of the United States Trade Act of 1974 authorizes the US President to investigate and impose retaliatory trade sanctions and tariffs on countries engaging in unfair or discriminatory trade practices?

With reference to the foundational principles of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), consider the following statements: 1. The Most Favoured Nation (MFN) principle requires that any trade concession granted to one member country must be accorded immediately and unconditionally to all other members. 2. The National Treatment principle requires that once imported goods have entered a domestic market, they must be treated no less favorably than domestically produced goods. 3. The WTO strictly prohibits all member states from entering into any Regional Trade Agreements or Free Trade Agreements under any circumstances. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding the economic concept of 'De-risking' versus 'Decoupling' in contemporary international relations: 1. Decoupling refers to the total severance of economic, trade, and financial linkages with a systemic rival nation. 2. De-risking focuses on reducing critical strategic dependencies in sensitive dual-use technology and supply chains while maintaining ordinary commercial trade. 3. The European Union has officially abandoned all de-risking policies in favor of complete unilateral autarky. Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) operationalized within the World Trade Organization, consider the following statements: 1. It was established by a coalition of WTO members, including the European Union and China, as an alternative mechanism to resolve trade appeals. 2. It operates pursuant to Article 25 of the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU). 3. An award issued under the MPIA is universally binding on all 166 WTO members, regardless of whether a member has agreed to join the arrangement. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding the geopolitical and commercial tensions surrounding Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) in the global economy: 1. China accounts for over 60% of worldwide production of battery electric vehicles and dominant shares of the global EV supply chain. 2. Subsidized state financing and vertical integration in raw battery materials enabled Chinese manufacturers to produce EVs at lower production costs than Western peers. 3. Both the United States and the European Union instituted significant tariff adjustments on Chinese electric vehicle imports in 2024-2025. Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to the macroeconomic findings of the IMF World Economic Outlook (2025-2026), consider the following statements: 1. Global public debt has approached unprecedented peacetime peaks, driven by fiscal deficits in major economies like the US and China. 2. Accelerating enterprise investments into Artificial Intelligence and semiconductors represent a strong positive demand and productivity driver in the global economy. 3. The IMF officially recommended that all emerging markets immediately default on multilateral debt to stimulate local growth. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organization: 1. It entered into force in 2017 following ratification by two-thirds of WTO member states. 2. It aims to expedite the movement, release, and clearance of goods, including goods in transit, through simplified customs procedures. 3. It imposes mandatory uniform international customs tariff rates on all manufactured goods across all WTO members. Which of the statements given above are correct?