### 🌍 World Bank to Deploy Emergency Relief Amid ME Conflict

The World Bank Group is preparing a large-scale response to support emerging markets, including those in South Asia, as the Middle East conflict triggers sharp spikes in commodity prices and logistics costs. 📈 • Market Impact (Feb-Mar 2026): • Crude Oil: Prices surged by nearly 40%. • LNG (Asia): Shipments rose by almost 66%. • Fertilizers: Nitrogen-based inputs increased by nearly 50%. • Key Economic Disruptions: • Shipping route disruptions are driving up global freight costs. • Supply risks are spreading from energy to critical agricultural and food security inputs. • Risks to hard-won economic progress in "client countries" due to infrastructure damage and volatility. • Relief Strategy: • Financial Relief: Immediate liquidity, trade finance, and working capital for private sector firms. • Instruments: Leveraging crisis toolkits and pre-arranged financing for fast disbursement. • Sectors: Focus on protecting households, SMEs, and employment through policy expertise and recovery support. _Summary based on World Bank provisional statements as of March 28, 2026._ ---