A picture taken on July 23, 2020 shows the silhouette of a statue reflected in a window above a sign at the entrance of the World Trade Organization (WTO) prior to a general council in Geneva. (Photo: AFP)

GENEVA, March 31 (Xinhua) -- The volume of world merchandise trade is expected to increase by 8.0 percent in 2021, continuing its rebound from the pandemic-induced collapse that bottomed out in the second quarter of last year, the World Trade Organization (WTO) said Wednesday in its latest report.