PARIS / RankWire.AI / – Economic growth across the OECD area strengthened slightly in the second quarter of 2026 as most reporting member countries expanded. Gross domestic product rose 0.5% from the previous quarter, compared with 0.4% growth in the first three months. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reported expansion in 27 of the 30 countries with available data. Three economies recorded no quarterly change.
Ireland delivered the strongest quarterly increase among the countries included in the latest figures, with GDP climbing 3.9%. Israel followed with growth of 3.6%, placing both well above the wider OECD average. Austria, Belgium and Chile reported flat economic output in the second quarter. Across the full OECD area, GDP also rose 2.3% from a year earlier, accelerating from annual growth of 1.7% in the first quarter.
Growth among the Group of Seven major economies moved in the opposite direction. Combined G7 GDP increased 0.3% during the quarter, down from 0.4% in the previous period. Germany and Italy each expanded 0.2%, while Japan grew 0.3%. The United Kingdom and United States each posted growth of 0.4%. Canada recorded a stronger 0.8% increase, while France returned to growth with a 0.2% expansion.
G7 economies record mixed second-quarter results
Several major economies recorded slower growth as components of domestic demand and trade changed during the quarter. Japan saw flat private consumption alongside declines in inventories and investment. In the United Kingdom, weaker private consumption and lower government consumption weighed on the quarterly pace. The United States also experienced weaker export growth, inventory reductions and lower government consumption. Those movements coincided with slower combined growth across the G7.
Canada posted the largest quarterly gain among G7 members, moving from zero growth in the first quarter to 0.8%. France also improved after contracting 0.1% in the opening quarter of the year. Its economy expanded 0.2% in the second quarter. The results contrasted with the much faster increases recorded in Ireland and Israel, while Austria, Belgium and Chile showed no change from the previous three months.
Annual OECD output growth rises to 2.3%
The annual figures showed a faster pace of economic expansion across the broader group of member countries. OECD GDP stood 2.3% above its second-quarter 2025 level, compared with a 1.7% annual increase in the first quarter. Among the G7 economies, the United States recorded the strongest year-on-year growth at 2.1%. Japan posted the lowest annual increase within the group at 0.5%.
The OECD described the second-quarter estimates as provisional and based its consolidated calculation on countries with available GDP data. Its August 24 release covered 30 member economies and provided both quarterly and annual comparisons. The organization plans to publish its next quarterly GDP growth update on November 19, 2026. The current data show slightly stronger growth across the OECD area despite a softer combined performance among the G7 economies.