India, May 20 -- UNCTAD warns the apparent strength in global trade is being skewed by a narrow AI hardware boom in the US and China.

It is masking stagnation in traditional industries and commodity sectors.

Developing economies face mounting financial stress, currency pressure and heightened exposure to global shocks.

The global economy is not just facing supply disruptions and inflation but is now shifting into a more fragile, prolonged period of uncertainty where countries, particularly developing economies, could be facing widespread financial stress and shortages, a new report by the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has warned.

Trade and Development Foresights 2026 found that headline trade figures were being propped...