The IMF’s October 2026 World Economic Outlook arrives in stages: analytical chapters on October 5 and 6, then the full report on October 13 in Bangkok. In US Eastern time, the full release falls on the evening of October 12. These dates come from the IMF’s official launch timetable, checked on October 1.
October 2026 WEO release dates and times
- October 5: Chapter 3, on corporate income-tax spillovers, at 09:00 US Eastern, 13:00 UTC and 20:00 Bangkok time.
- October 6: Chapter 2, on lessons from cost-of-living crises, at 09:00 US Eastern, 13:00 UTC and 20:00 Bangkok time.
- October 13: the full report and Chapter 1 on global prospects and policies, at 09:00 Bangkok time and 02:00 UTC. That is 22:00 US Eastern on October 12.
Times use the 24-hour clock. US Eastern is EDT, UTC−4, on these dates; Bangkok is UTC+7. The chapter descriptions above are shortened for clarity.
Which release answers your question?
The early chapters are focused research. Readers following corporate taxation can start with Chapter 3; those examining household purchasing power and inflation shocks can start with Chapter 2. The topics are announced, but the findings have not yet been published.
If you want the broader outlook, use the full report’s release date. An early analytical chapter should not be presented as the complete October forecast. When sharing a date, include the time zone: the same full-report launch falls on different calendar dates in Bangkok and the United States.
How to read forecast comparisons
When the new forecasts arrive, compare the same country, measure and forecast year across editions. A change to projected growth is not the same as a change in the economy’s actual output. A downward revision to a positive growth forecast does not, on its own, mean that output is expected to shrink.
Keep percentage-point revisions separate from growth rates, and check whether an inflation number refers to an annual average or the end of a year. These distinctions help prevent a striking headline from becoming a misleading comparison.
For another upcoming economic release, see our guide to the October 2 US jobs report. That report measures labour-market conditions; it serves a different purpose from the IMF’s forecast assessment.
Where to check for the documents
The official October WEO page will carry the released publications and related resources. Recheck the timetable before an event, and note the edition and publication date before using a figure. This guide currently describes scheduled releases, not their results.
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