The World Trade Organization halved its growth forecast for global goods trade this year, saying that persistent inflation, higher interest rates, a strained Chinese property market and the war in Ukraine had cast a shadow over its outlook. The Geneva-based trade body said on Thursday merchandise trade volumes would increase by just 0.8% in 2023, compared with its April estimate of 1.7%. For 2024, it said goods trade growth would pick up to 3.3%, a forecast virtually unchanged from its April estimate of 3.2%.