Policy & Government
Will Mexico’s Currency Gambit Pay Off?
Few currencies have suffered more since the surprise election of Donald Trump last year than the Mexican peso. Trump made Mexico a cornerstone of his electoral campaign and attacked the Central American country on a number of issues ranging from illegal immigration to the renegotiation of the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which put increasing pressure on the country’s currency and drove…
13 Mar 2017
Ghana Doubles-Down on Halving Deficit but Risks Remain
Hamstrung by a deficit twice the size of that estimated by the government of former President of Ghana John Mahama, all eyes are on how the newly elected President Nana Akufo-Addo and his right-hand man, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, navigate delivering key fiscal consolidation reforms and keep voters happy. With the economy on the mend, things are looking up – but the road ahead is riddled…
10 Mar 2017
Financing Africa’s Cities
Cities have the power to transform themselves and raise the standard of living for their inhabitants, but in Africa many have struggled in this endeavor due to lack of access to financing. To get a sense of how we can succeed, it is important to assess how others have failed. Here is a first-hand glimpse of the unsuccessful launch of West Africa’s first city-level bond.
9 Mar 2017
Between the Spread: Market Intervention and its Side Effects in Brazil
Market failures exist, and they require government intervention. But many distortions in the economic system are not necessarily the result of market failures. Often, they are born of mistaken government action, which then weigh heavily on economic activity. A good example in Brazil: banks.
7 Mar 2017
How the U.S. Presidential Election Could Impact M&A Activity in Latin America
Donald J. Trump is now the 45th president of the United States of America. While this election outcome is surprising to many, it’s time to look ahead to what the M&A world can expect from this new president and his administration.
3 Mar 2017
A Closer Look: Pension Reform in Brazil
Brazil’s population is aging and its retirement rules have become unsustainable. Everyone will have to work longer or retirement income will be impaired. Brazil is a relative slowpoke in its social security reform agenda, but the country is moving in the right direction.
3 Mar 2017
Supporting Peru’s Infrastructure Pipeline: Camilo Carrillo Purín, Ministry of Economy and Finance
The private sector has played a crucial role in the government-led PPP financing scheme that for the past decade has been successfully applied in Peru’s national infrastructure development programme. Bonds & Loans asked Camilo Carrillo Purín, Director of the Private Investment Policy Department in Peru’s Economic Ministry, about how his role in catalysing and engaging the private sector on these…
1 Mar 2017
Chile’s Euroclearance Raises Hope of Attracting Foreign Capital
Traditionally only Chile’s big corporates and state companies would choose to tap international markets, while the rest would get local financing. That may all change with Euroclear’s launch of settlement, custody and related services for cross-border Chilean domestic debt.
27 Feb 2017
Saudi Arabia’s US$50bn First Step Towards Sustainable Energy
The Saudi royal family has been vocal about its plans to diversify the country’s economy for years. As internal energy demand rises sharply, the multibillion tender for a series of solar and wind projects marks one of the first concrete steps taken by the Kingdom towards sustainability.
24 Feb 2017
Chile Pension Reforms Could Shield AFPs from Public Fury and Boost Competitiveness
Chileans are increasingly frustrated with deflated pension rates, but blaming AFPs may not be the most constructive solution. A new set of pension reforms could provide the first step to spreading the financial burden more evenly between workers and employers.
22 Feb 2017