Global economic activity is picking up with a long-awaited cyclical recovery in investment, manufacturing, and trade, according to this World Economic Outlook. World growth is expected to rise from 3.1% in 2016 to 3.5% in 2017 and 3.6% in 2018. Stronger activity, expectations of more robust global demand, reduced deflationary pressures, and optimistic financial markets are all upside developments.