Asia accounts for the largest share of the global economy, contributing more than a third of world output, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) data, underscoring the region’s central role in shaping global growth.

The Netherlands emerged as the largest buyer of U.S. crude oil in 2025, highlighting Europe’s continued reliance on American energy supplies even as overall U.S. exports declined for the first time in four years.

Pension income across Europe remains sharply uneven, with retirees in southern and eastern countries receiving significantly lower monthly payments than their northern counterparts, according to recent data compiled from Eurostat and the OECD.

The bulk of oil and gas shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, are heading overwhelmingly to Asia, underscoring the region’s dependence on Middle Eastern supplies.

The world’s largest confectionery companies have tightened their grip on a resilient global sweets market in 2026, with US-based Mondelēz International retaining its position as the top candy producer by revenue, according to the latest Global Top 100 ranking from Candy Industry.

The global cost of eggs has climbed sharply, with Switzerland, New Zealand and parts of Europe topping the list of the most expensive markets, as supply disruptions and rising production costs continue to reshape one of the world’s most essential food staples.

The United States has emerged as the world’s leading exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), capping a decades-long shift in global energy dominance that has moved from North Africa to Asia, the Middle East and now North America.

Latin America is quietly cementing its role as one of the world’s most important food suppliers, with a handful of countries driving production across everything from soybeans and beef to avocados and coffee. Fresh industry data and market forecasts show the region is not just keeping pace with global demand, but increasingly shaping it.

India operates the world’s largest school meal programme, providing food support to around 118 million children, according to global data compiled from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and national education authorities.

China has emerged as the country with the largest number of Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in the world, highlighting the dramatic shift in the global fast-food landscape as international markets outpace the brand’s birthplace in the United States.

Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles and more than a thousand drones during the first eight days of the conflict with the United States and its allies, according to military data compiled from Israeli sources.

From protecting trade routes to projecting force across oceans, naval power remains one of the clearest indicators of global military strength.

Africa’s copper sector continues to shape global supply chains, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zambia, South Africa and Namibia emerging as the continent’s most important exporters of the red metal.

As of February 2026, the list of the world’s richest women reflects major shifts tied to market performance, inheritance, and cross-industry investment.

Foreign investors held nearly $9.36 trillion in U.S. Treasury bonds and notes, the financial instruments the U.S. government issues to finance its borrowing, according to the latest Treasury International Capital (TIC) data for November 2025.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is forecasting a notable reshuffle in global economic growth for 2026, with emerging markets driving much of the world’s expansion.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is now giving birth to more babies each year than all of Europe plus Russia combined, a milestone that reflects profound global demographic change.

New projections made about Africa’s economic story in 2026 are based on nominal GDP estimates that place a familiar group of countries at the top, but the deeper story lies in why these economies are leading and what it signals about Africa’s future growth path.

Global fast-food brands usually come to mind when people think of mass food provision, but new data shared in policy and food security discussions around Davos and the World Economic Forum tells a very different story.

The global economic recovery is set to remain uneven in 2026, with emerging economies driving growth while much of the developed world continues to slow.