The World Bank released a new working paper on market competition. According to the report, between 2019 and 2022 the world’s 1,000 largest companies increased the number of affiliated entities in developing countries by 50%.

Market monopolization and the concentration of resources in the hands of a limited group of firms are dampening economic dynamics by restraining investment and slowing structural transformation. By contrast, greater competition can boost productivity by 6–9% and wages by 1%. The World Bank recommends strengthening the effectiveness of antitrust authorities, developing independent sectoral regulation, ensuring transparency in subsidies and public procurement, and conducting systematic assessments of the state of competition.