24/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - In its reports presented in Geneva on Wednesday, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) considers that world trade should grow in volume from 2 to 3% annually, which is "hardly better than in 2002" (with +2.5%) and "which represents less than half the rate of average growth recorded in the nineties" (6.7%). "We must place emphasis on the fact that the world economy continues to lack vigour, investment is slow, and there is limited confidence shown by business circles as a backdrop to the economic environment", commented Patrick Low, Chief WTO Economist, presenting the WTO report. To these problems must be added the tense geopolitical situation in the Middle East and the atypical pneumonia outbreak, he recalled.