Finance & Economics | WPN World People News

Mexico's new president is asking businesses to invest in the Maya Train, a railway line that would link passengers to archaeological sites and popular tourist destinations.

Malaysia’s economy is expected to grow at a more moderate pace in the near term, growing at 4.7 percent in 2019, according to the World Bank Malaysia Economic Monitor, launched, on December 18. But external factors, such as current trade tensions and increased volatility in financial and commodity markets, are weighing on Malaysia’s economy going forward.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a two-year arrangement for Morocco under the Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL) for SDR 2.1508 billion (about US$ 2.97 billion, or 240 percent of Morocco’s quota), on December 17. The access under the arrangement in the first year will be equivalent to SDR 1.25066 billion (about US$ 1.73 billion or 140 percent of quota).

On November 28, 2018, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation with Cambodia.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Mr. Pablo Lopez Murphy visited Fiji from December 3 to December 18, 2018, to conduct the discussions for the 2018 Article IV consultation.

The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, Aaa/AAA) has priced new bonds that offer retail investors in Hong Kong and Singapore the opportunity to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Returns on the bond are linked to an equity index that tracks the performance of companies advancing global development priorities set out in the SDGs, including climate, gender, and health. This marks the first time that the World Bank has offered SDG index-linked bonds to retail investors in Asia.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Geert Almekinders, visited Kathmandu and Pokhara during December 2-13 to hold discussions for the 2018 Article IV consultation. The team met with Minister of Finance Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Central Bank Governor Dr. Chiranjibi Nepal and other high-level government officials as well as representatives from the private sector and donor community.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Nada Choueiri, visited Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya from November 29 to December 12, 2018, to conduct discussions for the 2019 Article IV Consultation with Malaysia.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Mr. Shanaka J. Peiris visited Myanmar from November 28 to December 13, 2018, to conduct discussions for the 2018 Article IV consultations.

Scaling up renewable energy sources in Poland would benefit the economy, improve people’s health, and reduce serious environmental problems - including the worst air pollution among cities in Europe - says a new World Bank report, “Poland Energy Transition: The Path to Sustainability in the Electricity and Heating Sector.”