World economic growth is projected to slow to 2.4 percent in 2025, down from 2.9 percent in 2024, due to heightened trade tensions and policy uncertainty, according to a mid-year update of the 2025 World Economic Situation and Prospects report of the United Nations, which was released on Thursday.
The latest global economy forecast is 0.4 percentage points below the January forecast.
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UN forecasts global economic growth to slow to 2.4 pct in 2025
UN forecasts global economic growth to slow to 2.4 pct in 2025
UN forecasts global economic growth to slow to 2.4 pct in 2025
UN forecasts global economic growth to slow to 2.4 pct in 2025
The global economic outlook has deteriorated significantly since the January 2025 forecast. Sweeping United States tariff announcements and counter-announcements, along with heightened policy uncertainty have eroded global growth prospects, said the UN report.
In terms of international trade, global trade growth is projected to decline sharply from 3.3 percent in 2024 to 1.6 percent in 2025, said the report.
The economic slowdown and persistent weakness in global investment growth will drag down employment and wage growth, according to the report.
The report also emphasized that policy coordination and international cooperation are particularly crucial for stabilizing the global economy and promoting sustainable development as the current world economy is facing high uncertainty.
UN forecasts global economic growth to slow to 2.4 pct in 2025
UN forecasts global economic growth to slow to 2.4 pct in 2025
UN forecasts global economic growth to slow to 2.4 pct in 2025
UN forecasts global economic growth to slow to 2.4 pct in 2025
The number of temporary accommodation registrations of foreign nationals in Shanghai hit a record high of 7.139 million in 2025, up 49.6 percent from the previous year, the Exit-Entry Administration Corps of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau said at a press briefing on Thursday.
The figure, which had already doubled in 2024, points to a continued rise in the number of foreign nationals visiting and staying in the city, highlighting the metropolis's growing appeal to international visitors.
Shanghai also issued more than 200,000 visas and residence permits to foreigners for the second consecutive year in 2025.
Long-term permits, including residence permits, accounted for a share 10 percentage points higher than the previous year, reflecting growing demand for extended stays.
Officials said the increase mirrors Shanghai's expanding openness and improving services for foreign visitors and residents.
"In 2025, Shanghai processed 7.139 million temporary accommodation registrations for foreigners. Following a doubling from the year before last, the figure rose by another 49.6 percent year on year, marking a historical high in the number of foreign nationals coming to Shanghai," said Song Weiqi, deputy head of the administration corps.
Accommodation registrations are required for foreigners staying in China. In 2025, 94.7 percent of temporary accommodation registrations were handled directly by hotels, resulting in a convenient check-in process.
Among foreigners residing in Shanghai's residential communities, 84.8 percent opted for online self-reporting via a multilingual platform that offers efficient, flexible registration.
Meanwhile, to ease the surge in passport applications for foreign travel ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday in mid-February, the administration corps announced plans to extend service hours for residents.
Shanghai hits a record-high 7.14 million expat accommodation registrations in 2025
