World Bank to Build Flood Resilience and Protect Jobs in Brazil's Santa Catarina State

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2026/07/02/brazil-world-bank-build-flood-resilience-protect-jobs-santa-catarina-state?cid=ECR_E_NewsletterWeekly_EN_EXT&deliveryName=DM285629 WASHINGTON, D.C., JULY 2, 2026 - The World Bank Group has announced a new project to support the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, to reduce the risk of devastating floods and strengthen the state's capacity to manage weather-related disasters, mitigating impacts on the economy while protecting jobs and lives. The US$ 119.2 million project will benefit approximately 420,000 people across 54 municipalities, many of them low-income residents living in high-risk areas who stand to gain the most from lasting, reliable flood protection.

IFC Launches Standout $2 Billion 5-Year USD Green Benchmark Bond

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2026/07/07/ifc-launches-standout-2-billion-5-year-usd-green-benchmark-bond?cid=ECR_E_NewsletterWeekly_EN_EXT&deliveryName=DM285629 Washington, July 7, 2026 – The International Finance Corporation (IFC, rated Aaa/AAA), a member of the World Bank Group, priced its first US dollar benchmark bond of the fiscal year, a green bond raising $2 billion to support the private sector and job creation in developing countries. The transaction generated very strong investor interest, reaching a book of $8 billion, supported by 120 investor orders, demonstrating robust global demand for high-quality US dollar benchmark bonds

Rebalancing Growth: China Economic Update

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2026/07/07/rebalancing-growth-china-economic-update?cid=ECR_E_NewsletterWeekly_EN_EXT&deliveryName=DM285629 BEIJING, July 7, 2026 — China’s economy stayed resilient in early 2026, supported by strong high-tech investment and exports, according to the World Bank’s latest China Economic Update, Rebalancing Growth. The report shows that policy support, high-tech investment, and buffers against global energy supply disruptions partly offset weaker domestic demand in the second quarter. However, as the property sector continues to adjust to lower housing demand and consumers remain cautious, growth is projected to slow to 4.4% in 2026. Growth is expected to ease further to 4.3% in 2027, as progress in rebalancing the economy toward consumption remains gradual.

Beverage prices retreat as supplies recover John BaffesKaltrina Temaj July 07, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/opendata/beverage-prices-retreat-as-supplies-recover?cid=ECR_E_NewsletterWeekly_EN_EXT&deliveryName=DM285629 This blog post is part of a special series based on the April 2026 Commodity Markets Outlook, a flagship report published by the World Bank. This series features concise summaries of commodity-specific sections extracted from the report. The World Bank Group’s beverage price index eased further in 2026Q2 to a level about one-third lower than a year earlier. This reversal of the preceding sharp rise in prices reflects improved supply prospects for both cocoa and coffee. After surging by 18 percent in 2025, the index is projected to decline by 30 percent in 2026, before stabilizing in 2027. Beverage markets are expected to face limited disruptions from the conflict in the Middle East but could be affected by a stronger‑than‑expected El Niño.

Small AI, big bets: How the world's most impactful AI startups will be built in emerging markets Sangbu KimJonathan Nagao July 06, 2026 This page in: English Français Español العربية

Small AI, big bets: How the world's most impactful AI startups will be built in emerging markets Sangbu KimJonathan Nagao July 06, 2026 https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/voices/small-ai--big-bets--how-the-world-s-most-impactful-ai-startups-w?cid=ECR_E_NewsletterWeekly_EN_EXT&deliveryName=DM285629 This page in: English Français Español العربية

No Longer Invisible: Unlocking Legal Identity for Millions in Madagascar

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2026/07/01/no-longer-invisible-unlocking-legal-identity-for-millions-in-madagascar?cid=ECR_E_NewsletterWeekly_EN_EXT&deliveryName=DM285629 STORY HIGHLIGHTS Around 6 million adults in Madagascar, nearly 40% of the population, lack a birth certificate, limiting access to jobs, financial services, and basic rights. A new 2026 law enables birth certificates to be issued at scale, building on nationwide biometric enrollment supported by the PRODIGY Project, financed by the World Bank and the Global Financing Facility, which has already registered over 3.25 million adults. Reaching the most excluded people remains the next frontier, requiring sustained outreach and further reforms to ensure no one is left without legal identity.

Financing Firm Growth The Role of Capital Markets in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

https://www.ifc.org/en/insights-reports/2025/financing-firm-growth New research highlights how equity and bond markets foster growth in developing economies, contributing $4 trillion in capital and generating 5 percent more jobs over three decades. Deeper capital markets channel more investment toward productive firms, helping them expand and fueling development.