Amman, Oct. 13 (Petra) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its 2026 global economic growth projection on Tuesday to 3.1 percent, up 0.1 percentage point from its July forecast.

In its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, the IMF characterized the global economy as "fragmented," caught between the opposing forces of rising energy prices and a massive surge in artificial intelligence (AI) investments.

Global economic expansion is expected to moderate from 3.5 percent in 2025 before accelerating to 3.4 percent in 2027, a projection unchanged from previous estimates.

The upward revision for 2026 is largely driven by a momentum in advanced economies, particularly in Asia, where soaring AI investment has cushioned the impact of energy price shocks.

The US economy is projected to grow by 2.3 percent in 2026 despite higher energy costs. Key tech manufacturing hubs in Asia show exceptional strength, with Taiwan projected to expand by 10.7 percent and South Korea expected to reach 3.3 percent growth.

//Petra// HA