'Dramatic slowing' seen in global trade, as rhetoric rises

'Dramatic slowing' seen in global trade, as rhetoric rises:
"GENEVA (AP) — Trade, that lifeblood of the world economy, is growing at its slowest rate in seven years and could falter even more should anti-globalization sentiment encourage governments to throw up more barriers.
That's the verdict from the World Trade Organization, which dramatically slashed its forecast for trade growth this year by about a third to its lowest rate since 2009, when the global economy was mired in recession in the wake of the financial crisis.
...Lower economic growth and trade in developing countries like China and Brazil as well as a deceleration in imports in North America lay at the heart of the sharp downgrade.
If the WTO's forecast comes true, it will be the first time in 15 years that global trade grows more slowly than the world economy, which it expects to expand by 2.2 percent.
..."We need to make sure that this does not translate into misguided policies that could make the situation much worse," he added, referring to job creation and economic growth."