
The Iran war is "testing the resilience of the global economy," and is set to dampen economic growth this year, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said in a report released on Thursday.
Global growth is forecast to slow to 2.9% this year before edging back up to 3.0% in 2027, according to the OECD.
The unpredictable trajectory of the Middle East conflict was driving up costs and dampening demand, offsetting the positive impetus from investment in new technologies and the momentum carried over from the previous year, it said.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and damage to energy infrastructure had caused a sharp rise in energy prices and disrupted supplies of other key materials such as fertilizer, according to the OECD.
The scale and duration of the conflict were highly uncertain, but a prolonged period of higher energy prices would significantly increase costs for businesses and consumer prices, with negative consequences for growth, the OECD said.
The "evolving conflict [...] generates significant uncertainty around global demand," it said.
In the US, growth is expected to slow from 2.0% this year to 1.7% next year, the OECD forecast, as strong investment in artificial intelligence is gradually offset by a slowdown in income growth and consumer spending.
In the eurozone, the OECD expects growth to slow to 0.8% this year before recovering to 1.2% in 2027, boosted by higher defence spending.
In China, growth is projected to fall to 4.4% in 2026 and 4.3% in 2027.
The conflict was also weighing on the growth of the German economy, which the OECD said would grow by only 0.8% this year - 0.2 percentage points less than forecast in its previous economic outlook in December.
Growth of 1.5% is still expected for 2027, unchanged from the previous forecast.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Reporter's Notebook: The Post embeds with foreign armies visiting the IDF - 2
Artemis 2 astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center ahead of NASA's historic launch around the moon - 3
Kobe Bryant called this WNBA star the 'Gold Mamba.' She turned his advice to her into a tattoo. - 4
Study finds humans were making fire 400,000 years ago, far earlier than once thought - 5
James Webb Space Telescope watches our Milky Way galaxy's monster black hole fire out a flare
Polls open in tense Uganda election amid widespread delays
White House responds to Sabrina Carpenter after pop star slams 'evil' ICE video using her song
AI is providing emotional support for employees – but is it a valuable tool or privacy threat?
Geminid meteors streak under green sky | Space photo of the day for Dec. 19, 2025
People Are Sharing The One Picture They Can't See Without Laughing, And It's The Comedy Spiral You Need Today
What is ‘Auld Lang Syne’? Why we sing this song at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Step by step instructions to Shield Your Wellbeing Around 5G Pinnacles\
IAF intercepts over 90% of drones launched by Iran, Hezbollah during Operation Roaring Lion
ISS astronauts spy airglow and dwarf galaxy | Space photo of the day for Jan. 13, 2026












