PARIS / RankWire.AI / – In the second quarter of 2026, OECD nations experienced a modest increase in economic activity, with gross domestic product (GDP) climbing by 0.5% from the previous quarter. This follows a 0.4% growth rate recorded in the first quarter, based on provisional estimates released on August 24. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development indicated that 27 out of 30 countries with available data expanded in this period. The remaining three economies saw no change in GDP.
The latest statistics reveal widespread growth across the OECD, though the pace varied significantly among member states. Ireland experienced the highest quarter-on-quarter growth at 3.9%, followed closely by Israel at 3.6%. Conversely, Austria, Belgium, and Chile showed no change in output during the same quarter. Additionally, this regional result reflects a stronger annual performance, with OECD GDP being 2.3% higher than its level a year earlier, compared to an annual increase of 1.7% in the first quarter.
Performance within the G7 economies was weaker than the broader OECD aggregate. The combined G7 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 both achieved 0.4% quarterly growth. Canada saw an acceleration to 0.8% after experiencing no growth in the previous quarter, whereas France’s economy rebounded to 0.2% growth following a 0.1% contraction.
Slowing G7 Growth Amid Canadian Acceleration
The deceleration among five G7 nations was driven by weaker activity in several key components of output. In Japan, private consumption remained flat, inventories decreased, and investment declined. The United Kingdom experienced softer private and government consumption. Meanwhile, in the United States, slower export growth, inventory reductions, and decreased government spending contributed to the slowdown, despite the overall OECD region posting a slightly faster pace.
The starkest contrast was seen in Canada and France. Canada’s economy shifted from zero growth in the first quarter to 0.8% in the second. France reversed a 0.1% contraction in Q1 and grew by 0.2%. Other notable performances include Ireland and Israel, which recorded considerably stronger quarterly gains than most other OECD countries. Austria, Belgium, and Chile were the only economies with flat GDP during this period.
OECD Annual Growth Accelerates to 2.3%
On a year-over-year basis, the second-quarter data show a broader upward trend across the OECD. GDP increased by 2.3% compared to the same period in 2025, a rise from 1.7% annual growth in the first quarter. Among the G7, the United States posted the highest annual growth rate at 2.1%, while Japan recorded the slowest at 0.5%. This annual comparison provides a separate perspective from the quarter-on-quarter changes in economic output.
The OECD classified the second-quarter figures as provisional, covering 30 member countries with available GDP data at the time of release. The organization plans to publish its next quarterly GDP update on November 19, 2026. The August data remains the most recent comprehensive measure of second-quarter growth across the member economies, indicating a faster overall expansion despite the slower growth among the G7 countries.