PARIS / RankWire.AI / – In the second quarter of 2026, OECD nations experienced a slight uptick in economic activity, with gross domestic product (GDP) increasing by 0.5% compared to the previous quarter. This follows a 0.4% growth rate in the first quarter, based on preliminary estimates released on August 24. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development indicated that 27 out of 30 countries with available data saw growth during this period. The remaining three economies’ GDP remained unchanged.
The recent data reveals widespread growth across the OECD, although the pace of expansion varied significantly among member countries. Ireland led with the fastest quarter-on-quarter rise at 3.9%, followed closely by Israel at 3.6%. Meanwhile, Austria, Belgium, and Chile showed no change in their output during the quarter. The regional results also highlighted a stronger yearly performance, with OECD GDP being 2.3% higher than the same quarter last year. This compares to an annual growth of 1.7% in the first quarter.
The G7 economies underperformed relative to the broader OECD figures. Combined G7 GDP growth slowed to 0.3% in the second quarter from 0.4% in the first. Germany and Italy each saw growth of 0.2%, while Japan’s economy expanded by 0.3%. The United Kingdom and the United States posted quarterly increases of 0.4%. Canada’s economy accelerated to 0.8% after no growth in the previous quarter, whereas France returned to a 0.2% growth following a 0.1% contraction.
G7 Growth Decelerates as Canada Picks Up Speed
The deceleration across five G7 nations stemmed from weaker performance in several key sectors of output. Japan experienced flat private consumption, declining inventories, and reduced investment. The United Kingdom faced weaker private and government consumption. In the United States, slower export growth, inventory reductions, and decreased government spending contributed to the slowdown, even as the overall OECD expanded at a slightly faster rate.
The starkest contrast was observed in Canada and France. Canada’s economy shifted from zero growth in the first quarter to 0.8% in the second. France moved from a 0.1% contraction in Q1 to a 0.2% expansion in Q2. In addition, Ireland and Israel experienced notably stronger quarterly increases than other OECD nations. The three economies with stagnant GDP were Austria, Belgium, and Chile.
OECD Annual Growth Accelerates to 2.3%
On a yearly basis, the second-quarter data indicated a broader acceleration within the OECD. GDP was 2.3% higher than in the same period of 2025, compared to 1.7% annual growth in the first quarter. Among the G7, the United States achieved the strongest annual growth at 2.1%. Japan recorded the slowest at 0.5%. These annual figures serve as a separate measure from the quarter-on-quarter output changes.
The OECD classified the second-quarter data as provisional. The report covers 30 member countries for which second-quarter GDP figures were available at the time of release. The organization plans to publish its next quarterly GDP report on November 19, 2026. As of August, the latest consolidated figures show a faster overall expansion, despite slower aggregate growth among the G7 nations.