The calendar helps policymakers, researchers and businesses plan ahead by signalling when new, reliable statistics will be available.
© Shutterstock/Mangkorn Danggura
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has published its 2026 calendar for data releases, giving users a roadmap of when they can expect new global trade, investment and economic statistics this year.
Released on 28 January, the calendar sets out planned publication dates for dozens of datasets covering international trade, shipping and logistics, environment, digital economy, investment, macroeconomic indicators and demographic trends.
The release calendar is designed to help policymakers, researchers and businesses plan ahead by signalling when new, reliable statistics from UNCTAD will become available.
Having a clear and predictable release schedule helps users plan their analysis and decisions. Our aim is to make global trade and development data timely, more transparent and easier to use.
Commodities, services and shipping
The first releases of the year have already updated commodity price indices, maritime connectivity and trade in information communication technologies (ICT) and digitally deliverable services.
Monthly updates of the UNCTAD Commodity Price Index run throughout the year, providing a near real-time barometer of global commodity markets.
Quarterly releases will continue to track trade in services and global shipping connectivity, offering regular snapshots of how goods, services and transport networks are evolving.
Dedicated maritime and ocean statistics will update information on global seaborne trade, container port activity, fleet ownership, as well as trade in ocean-based goods and services.
Digital trade, plastics and investment
Later releases will continue to highlight the digital economy, with new figures on digitally deliverable and ICT-enabled trade, alongside datasets on biodiversity-related trade and plastics.
Investment indicators, including foreign direct investment flows and stocks, are due around mid-year, with personal remittances scheduled for release later in the year.
Free access through the Data Hub
All datasets are published through the organization’s Data Hub, which provides free access to harmonized and regularly updated statistical series. Users can combine indicators across domains using a common methodology and extract customised data selections.
“The strength of the platform is that different datasets can be used together in a consistent framework,” Peltola said. “That allows users to connect trends in trade, investment, digitalisation, environment, and demographics.”
Since 2024, data are also provided as Data Insights, bite-sized statistical updates with a data visualization and short explanation. The Data Insights provide a collection of key messages from UNCTAD’s statistics that is always in sync with UNCTAD’s datasets.