World Bank Group

FDI Flows to Developing Economies Drop to Lowest Level Since 2005

High Trade and Investment Barriers Pose Threat to Mobilizing Financing for Development Press Release – WASHINGTON, June 16, 2025—Flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) into developing economies—a key propellant of economic growth and higher living standards—have dwindled to the lowest level since 2005 amid rising trade and investment barriers, new research from the World Bank shows. These barriers pose a significant threat to global efforts … Continue reading FDI Flows to Developing Economies Drop to Lowest Level Since 2005

G42

G42 and Liquid AI partner to deliver private, local and efficient AI solutions to enterprises at scale

News Release – 17 Jun 2025 G42, the Abu Dhabi-based global technology group, and Liquid AI, a leading efficient foundation models company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, today announced that they have entered into a multifaceted commercial partnership to facilitate the creation, training and commercialization of generative AI solutions powered by Liquid Foundation Models. The goal of the partnership is to jointly develop and deploy private … Continue reading G42 and Liquid AI partner to deliver private, local and efficient AI solutions to enterprises at scale

Rapidly shifting geopolitical environment could test euro area financial stability

Rapidly shifting geopolitical environment could test euro area financial stability

Press Release – 21 May 2025 A marked spike in uncertainty across global trade, defence, international cooperation and regulation policies could prove challenging for financial stability, according to the May 2025 Financial Stability Review, published today by the European Central Bank (ECB). Frequent shifts and reversals in tariff policy, alongside significant changes in the geopolitical environment, could have major economic and financial impacts. While global macroeconomic … Continue reading Rapidly shifting geopolitical environment could test euro area financial stability

African Development Bank 2025 Annual Meetings

African Development Bank 2025 Annual Meetings: “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.”

The African Development Bank Group’s 2025 Annual Meetings open next week amidst shifting winds of global trade. Forty-seven of Africa’s fifty-four countries have been affected by new U.S. trade measures, with 22 facing tariffs of up to 50 percent on a wide range of exports. In the context of evolving U.S. foreign assistance priorities and reduced USAID funding, African nations are navigating a changing landscape … Continue reading African Development Bank 2025 Annual Meetings: “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.”

United Community Joins Hands with Newgen to Modernize its Customer-facing Small Business Lending

United Community Joins Hands with Newgen to Modernize its Customer-facing Small Business Lending

The bank will improve loan management, expedite loan approvals, and transform customer experience. May 12, 2025: Newgen Software, a global provider of an AI-first unified digital transformation platform, announced that United Community (United) selected the company’s banking solution to simplify its small business lending. The collaborative efforts optimized the bank’s loan management operations, maximizing efficiency and enhancing customer experience across its entire loan portfolio. Leveraging Newgen’s Small Business Administration Loan … Continue reading United Community Joins Hands with Newgen to Modernize its Customer-facing Small Business Lending

CICC Expands Its Global Footprint with Official Launch of DIFC Branch

CICC Expands Its Global Footprint with Official Launch of DIFC Branch

“We are delighted to welcome CICC to DIFC, bolstering the strategic relations between the UAE and China. Dubai and DIFC remain a top destination for Chinese investments, further accentuated by a surge in interest from banks, wealth and asset management firms, large corporations, and insurance sector market players. It underscores our commitment to offer a vast, well-developed ecosystem to help Chinese businesses expand and scale … Continue reading CICC Expands Its Global Footprint with Official Launch of DIFC Branch

ECB partners with private sector through digital euro innovation platform

ECB partners with private sector through digital euro innovation platform

Press Release – 5 May 2025 – The European Central Bank (ECB) has established an innovation platform to collaborate with European stakeholders in the context of the digital euro project. Almost 70 market participants – including merchants, fintech companies, start-ups, banks and other payment service providers – have signed up to work with the ECB to explore digital euro payment functionalities and use cases. Following a call for … Continue reading ECB partners with private sector through digital euro innovation platform

Mastercard

Mastercard Appoints Kelly Devine as President, Europe

Devine replaces Mark Barnett who takes on new role leading the company’s global SME business.  Waterloo, Belgium – Mastercard today announced the appointment of Kelly Devine as Regional President, Europe. Devine takes over from Mark Barnett who after leading Europe for five years, is assuming a new and expanded role to lead the company’s global focus on small business enterprises, a key pillar of Mastercard’s growth … Continue reading Mastercard Appoints Kelly Devine as President, Europe

Barclays and Brookfield

Barclays and Brookfield enter into strategic partnership to transform the bank’s payment acceptance business

Press Release – London, 17 April 2025:   Barclays (LSE: BARC) and Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (NYSE: BAM, TSX: BAM), through its Financial Infrastructure strategy, today announce a long-term strategic partnership (the “Partnership”) to grow and transform Barclays’ payment acceptance business (the “Business”), previously referred to as its merchant acquiring business.  Barclays and Brookfield will work to create a standalone entity over time. https://www.media.barclays.co.uk/serve/190157-4458188.mp4?dnt=1 Barclays has … Continue reading Barclays and Brookfield enter into strategic partnership to transform the bank’s payment acceptance business