PARIS / RankWire.AI / – In the second quarter of 2026, OECD countries experienced a modest uptick in economic activity, with gross domestic product increasing by 0.5% compared to the previous quarter. This follows a 0.4% growth rate in the first quarter, based on provisional estimates issued on August 24. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reported that 27 out of 30 nations with available data saw economic expansion during this period. The remaining three economies’ GDP remained steady.
Overall, the latest data depict widespread growth within the OECD region, although the pace of expansion varied significantly among member states. Ireland experienced the quickest quarter-on-quarter rise at 3.9%, with Israel following closely at 3.6%. Conversely, Austria, Belgium, and Chile saw no change in their output levels during this quarter. The regional results also reflect a stronger yearly performance, with OECD GDP being 2.3% higher than the same period in 2025, compared to 1.7% annual growth reported in the first quarter.
The G7 economies underperformed relative to the broader OECD aggregate. Their combined GDP growth slowed to 0.3% in the second quarter from 0.4% in the previous quarter. Germany and Italy each grew by 0.2%, while Japan’s expansion was 0.3%. The United Kingdom and the United States saw quarterly growth of 0.4% each. Canada’s economy accelerated from no growth in the first quarter to 0.8%, and France rebounded from a 0.1% contraction to 0.2% growth.
G7 Growth Deceleration Coincides with Canada’s Recovery
The slowdown among five G7 nations was driven by weaker activity across several key components of output. Japan saw flat private consumption, declining inventories, and lower investment. The United Kingdom experienced weaker private and government consumption. In the United States, slower export growth, inventory reductions, and decreased government spending contributed to the deceleration. Despite this, the overall OECD growth rate accelerated slightly.
Canada and France exhibited the most notable contrast. Canada’s economy shifted from zero growth in the first quarter to 0.8% in the second. Meanwhile, France reversed a 0.1% contraction in the first quarter and expanded by 0.2%. Ireland and Israel recorded significantly stronger quarterly gains than other countries within the available OECD sample. The three nations with unchanged GDP were Austria, Belgium, and Chile.
OECD’s Annual Growth Rate Accelerates to 2.3%
On a year-over-year basis, the second-quarter data reveal a broader acceleration across the OECD. GDP was 2.3% higher than in the same quarter of 2025, compared to 1.7% annual growth in the first quarter. Among G7 members, the United States posted the strongest yearly increase at 2.1%, while Japan experienced the slowest at 0.5%. The annual comparison provides an alternative measure separate from quarterly output changes.
The OECD described the second-quarter estimates as provisional. Data from 30 member countries were included at the time of publication, representing those with available second-quarter GDP figures. The organization plans to release its next quarterly GDP growth report on November 19, 2026. These August figures remain the most recent consolidated data for second-quarter growth across the member economies, showing a slightly faster pace overall amid slower growth among G7 nations.