Editor’s Letter: Technology, Payments, and the Rise of StablecoinsTHREE YEARS AGO, Finance & Development devoted a full issue to anticipating “The Money Revolution,” driven by innovations in finance, such as crypto assets. That revolution is now unfolding.This issue of F&D looks at the new frontiers of finance, where technology, data, ...
Media around the world caught on to the significance of the inaugural Global SME Ministerial Meeting, which created a new political arena for collaboration, sharing best practices, and advocacy in support of SME competitiveness.Nearly 400 articles in eight languages, originating in 39 countries, showcased the Ministerial and its call to action that se...
Welcome to the third issue of the Industrial Policy Research and Statistics Newsletter!During the second quarter of 2025, UNIDO advanced the production of the upcoming Industrial Development Report, convened several expert group meetings and events, and launched the new Monthly Manufacturing Trade Database to enhance timely trade monitoring and analysis.Do...
Trade policy uncertainty has become a major source of global instability. Sudden shifts in tariffs, subsidies or restrictions fuel volatility.Policy changes in one country can send shockwaves across the globe, disrupting suppliers, manufacturers and markets. The United States’ recent policy shifts illustrate this. As the world’s largest importer, even mo...
The Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) of the New Development Bank (NDB) played an active role in the 10th anniversary edition of the Asian Evaluation Week (AEW), held from 1-4 September 2025 in Xi’an, China.The Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) of the New Development Bank (NDB) played an active role in the 10th anniversary edition of the Asian Evaluat...
Safeguarding natural resources generates high returns in some sectors.WASHINGTON, September 1, 2025—Ninety percent of the world lives with either degraded land, unhealthy air, or water stress, according to a new World Bank report, however, restoring natural systems is possible and can yield high returns.In low-income countries alone, eight of out ten peop...
JAKARTA, 28 August 2025 – ASEAN, through the Lead Implementing Body for Sustainable Infrastructure (LIB-SI), convened the Pre-Market Sounding Event on the Updating and Advancing of the Initial Pipeline of ASEAN Infrastructure Projects on 27 August. Supported by the Australian government through the Aus4ASEAN Futures Init...
Energy ministers from the 21 APEC member economies issued a joint statement at the conclusion of the 15th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting in Busan, Republic of Korea, on 27–28 August 2025.Ministers recognized that addressing the region’s energy challenges will require the use of available energy sources and technologies, together with advanced energ...
Annual growth rate of broad monetary aggregate M3 stood at 3.4% in July 2025, after 3.3% in June 2025Annual growth rate of narrower monetary aggregate M1, comprising currency in circulation and overnight deposits, increased to 5.0% in July from 4.7% in June (revised from 4.6%)Annual growth rate of adjusted loans to households incre...
On August 27, 2025, the New Development Bank (NDB) successfully issued a RMB 7 billion 3-year Panda bond in the China Interbank Bond Market. This issuance marks the first drawdown under the newly registered NDB’s RMB 50 billion Panda Bond Programme, with the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors (NAFMII).The transaction garnered...
