Economics and Markets
Brazil, India, Indonesia and China to Drive EM Bank Loans in 2020
UBS analysts predict a strong rebound in credit impulse for EM lenders, with earnings forecast to rise to their highest levels since 2012.
16 Jan 2020
World’s Largest Economies Enjoy Falling Unemployment as Wage Growth Stagnates
Brazil was the only country to buck the trend, after seeing a substantial rise in unemployment over the past five years.
16 Jan 2020
Does the World Still Need Banks?
Economic and business environments are conspiring to prompt some uncomfortable questions for financial institutions. One such question is – does the world still need banks? Rising competitiveness in the financial sector, persistently low interest rates, technological innovation, and a rapidly changing banking sector are just some of the key developments in the UAE of late where the financial…
15 Jan 2020
Islamic Finance to Grow at Slow Rate in 2020 – S&P Global
The Islamic finance industry is set to grow at a rate of around 5% in 2020, due to weak conditions in economic conditions in the industry’s core markets, according to S&P Global’s ‘Islamic Finance Outlook 2020’. The report also notes three drivers - the rise of FinTech, ESG sukuk, and standardisation - could fuel the industry.
15 Jan 2020
West African Economic and Monetary Union Countries Lead Africa on Growth Amidst Broader Slump
Growth among West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries is expected to hold steady at 6.4% in 2020, according to World Bank figures, while growth prospects in some of the continent’s largest economies remain mixed.
15 Jan 2020
Middle East Tensions Concerning, but Lower Short-Term Conflict Risks – Ashmore
Concerns that the assassination of the Iranian general Qassem Soleimani may spark an escalation between the US and Iran have abated following the underwhelming Iranian response. Tensions linger, but in the short-term the prospect of conflict has subsided, according to a note from Ashmore.
14 Jan 2020
HSBC LatAm Global Banking Head: Sustainability Key for Resilience
While Latin American markets faced a series of domestic and global pressures throughout much of 2019, this year could see a number of those factors ease – creating new opportunities for capital allocators and fundraisers across the region and asset classes, Katia Bouazza, HSBC’s Head of Global Banking for the Latin America Region, tells Bonds & Loans in a wide-ranging interview on the outlook for…
14 Jan 2020
Kenyan Economic Growth Slowed in 2019 – Cytonn
Last year saw Kenyan economic growth slow, largely due to underperformance in the agricultural, transport and electricity sectors, according to the Cytonn Annual Markets Review.
13 Jan 2020
Private Sector Lending in Nigeria Rose 15% between January and November 2019, CBN Figures Show
Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria shows loans to the private sector increased by NGN3.46tn between January and November 2019.
13 Jan 2020
Brown Brothers Harriman: Emerging Markets Preview for the Week Ahead
Leading investment advisors Brown Brothers Harriman give their take on the big drivers and key economic events to look out for in emerging markets this week
13 Jan 2020