Finance & Economics | WPN World People News

Growth of real gross domestic product (GDP) in the OECD area slowed to 0.5% in the second quarter of 2019, compared with 0.6% in the previous quarter, according to provisional estimates.

In the face of rapid population ageing, governments must promote more and better job opportunities at an older age to protect living standards and the sustainability of public finances, according to a new OECD report.

The government of Bangladesh signed on August 29, a $185 million financing agreement with the World Bank to add about 310 MW renewable energy generation capacity, which will contribute to reliable, affordable electricity and cleaner air.

Water and sanitation subsidies are disproportionately benefitting the better-off, according to a new report from the World Bank. The study finds that across a number of low and middle-income countries 56% of the subsidies are captured by the richest fifth of the population, while only 6% flow to the poorest fifth.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama, Japan, on 28 August 2019.

City view of Bogotá, Colombia.

The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, Aaa/AAA), on August 22, priced its first USD benchmark issue for its new fiscal year, with a USD 3.5 billion 5-year global benchmark due August 28, 2024. There were orders for over USD 4.6 billion from over 90 investors from more than 20 countries. The order book was anchored by bank treasuries and central banks from 21 countries. Other investors included official institutions, corporates, asset managers, as well as pension and insurance funds.

The World Bank launched a stakeholder’s consultation to identify economic initiatives to support and sustain peace in Afghanistan once a potential political settlement is reached with the Taliban, on August 22.

The world faces an invisible crisis of water quality that is eliminating one-third of potential economic growth in heavily polluted areas and threatening human and environmental well-being, according to a World Bank report released on August 20.