The mantra that market reforms would pull the least developed countries out of poverty collapsed under major new findings by UNCTAD presented in London last Thursday. The 50 least developed countries (LDCs) increased gross national income (GNI) and export growth but poverty levels within the countries have also risen, or at least not declined, says the report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). "Trade liberalisation has actually worsened the trade balance in LDCs," the report says.