How the Iran War Could Impact Merchandise Trade Growth

World Trade Organization Chief Economist Robert Staiger discusses the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on trade. Speaking on Bloomberg Television, he says the WTO was already predicting a fall in merchandise trade from 4.6% in 2025 to 1.9% in 2026, but the effect of the war on energy prices could lower the growth further. "The growth rate would be 1.4% that we're predicting in 2026," Staiger says. He also talks about the impact of the Iran war on services trade. (Source: Bloomberg)