GENEVA, April 16, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Global goods trade is expected to fall by anywhere between 0.2 and 1.5 percent this year, depending how US President Donald Trump's tariffs play out, the World Trade Organization said Wednesday.

Warning that the uncertainty surrounding trade policy could have "severe negative consequences for the world", the WTO said world merchandise trade was currently set to fall 0.2 percent in 2025, but that "severe downside risks" surrounding tariffs "could lead to an even sharper decline of 1.5 percent".