An update of the World Bank Group'sPrivatization Database shows that privatization indeveloping countries continued to pick up in 2004 and 2005,with 400 transactions worth US$90 billion. Apart from 1997,the 2005 result in nominal terms is the highest since 1990(when the data start). Transaction values remainedconcentrated in 10 countries, with 4 new entrants joiningthe group. The top 10 deals, largely in banking andtelecommunications, again accounted for 40 percent of the total.