PARIS / RankWire.AI / – p style=”text-align: justify;”The global economic landscape remains dynamic, with recent data indicating a modest acceleration in activity among OECD nations during the second quarter of 2026. According to preliminary estimates released on August 24, gross domestic product increased by 0.5% from the previous quarter, building on a 0.4% rise in the first quarter. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reported that 27 out of 30 countries with available data experienced growth in this period, while the remaining three economies saw no change in GDP.
p style=”text-align: justify;”The latest figures highlight a broad-based expansion across the OECD, although growth rates varied significantly among member countries. Ireland led with the fastest quarter-on-quarter growth at 3.9%, followed closely by Israel at 3.6%. Conversely, Austria, Belgium, and Chile recorded no change during the quarter. Additionally, the regional performance reflected a stronger annual trend, with OECD GDP being 2.3% higher than the same quarter in 2025. This contrasts with the 1.7% annual growth observed in the first quarter.
p style=”text-align: justify;”In comparison, the G7 economies underperformed relative to the wider OECD aggregate. Their combined GDP growth slowed to 0.3% in the second quarter, down from 0.4% in the first. Germany and Italy each grew by 0.2%, while Japan’s expansion reached 0.3%. The United Kingdom and the United States experienced quarterly increases of 0.4%. Notably, Canada’s growth accelerated to 0.8% after stagnating in the previous quarter, whereas France returned to a 0.2% growth following a 0.1% contraction.
h3 style=”text-align: justify;”>G7 growth decelerates as Canada’s economy picks up pace
p style=”text-align: justify;”This slowdown among five G7 members was driven by weaker activity in several key areas of their economies. In Japan, private consumption remained flat, inventories declined, and investment decreased. The United Kingdom faced reduced private and government consumption, while the United States experienced slower export growth, inventory reductions, and lower government spending, all contributing to a subdued quarterly expansion. Overall, the G7’s growth rate slowed even as the broader OECD region showed a marginally faster pace.
p style=”text-align: justify;”The most pronounced contrasts appeared in Canada and France. Canada’s economy shifted from zero growth in the first quarter to a solid 0.8% increase in the second. France, having contracted by 0.1% in the first quarter, rebounded with a 0.2% expansion. Elsewhere, Ireland and Israel experienced considerably stronger quarterly gains compared to other OECD countries. The three economies with stagnant GDP were Austria, Belgium, and Chile.
h3 style=”text-align: justify;”>OECD’s annual growth rate improves to 2.3%
p style=”text-align: justify;”Looking at the year-on-year perspective, second-quarter data show a broader acceleration across the OECD. GDP was 2.3% higher than in the same period of 2025, compared with 1.7% growth in the first quarter. Among G7 nations, the United States recorded the highest annual increase at 2.1%, while Japan experienced the smallest at 0.5%. This annual comparison provides a different view from quarter-to-quarter changes, offering a broader perspective on economic performance.
p style=”text-align: justify;”The OECD categorized these second-quarter estimates as provisional, encompassing data from 30 member countries for which GDP figures were available at the time of publication. The organization has scheduled its next quarterly GDP update for November 19, 2026. The August figures remain the most recent consolidated measure of second-quarter growth for the available member economies, indicating a slightly faster overall expansion amid slower aggregate growth among G7 countries.