Lithuania sharply raises its 2026 export forecast

The Bank of Lithuania has sharply upgraded its outlook for Lithuanian exports in 2026, while leaving its headline economic growth forecast unchanged.

Exports of goods and services are now expected to grow by 4.8% this year, compared with just 0.4% in the central bank’s June forecast. GDP growth remains forecast at 2.7%.

The revision suggests that Lithuania’s external sector has performed considerably better than expected earlier in the year. The central bank points to stronger manufacturing, particularly in rubber and plastics, wood products and furniture. Investment is also forecast to increase by 8.2% in 2026.

For 2027, the Bank of Lithuania has raised its GDP growth forecast from 2.0% to 2.4%.

Signal: The unchanged 2.7% GDP forecast masks a substantial change underneath: Lithuania has moved from expecting almost flat export growth in 2026 to growth approaching 5%.