What do chief economists forecast for 2026? Weak growth and a disrupted new economic reality

In a world shaken by trade disputes, geopolitical fragmentation and the rise of AI, what’s the outlook for the global economy? The answer is mixed, as Philipp Grosskurth, the Insight Lead at the World Economic Forum explains. While chief economists are somewhat downbeat about the economy overall, there’s better news in some regions: 37% of those we polled predict strong or very strong growth in the Middle East and North Africa in the next year. You can find these insights and more in the World Economic Forum’s September 2025 edition of the Chief Economists Outlook, a triannual survey of experts’ predictions for the coming year.