Policy & Government
Test of Maturity
We’ve had other fiscal crises in the past. But those were other times, marked either by negligence regarding fiscal discipline or imbalances and skeletons inherited from the past. The government needed to call on the IMF on some occasions in the 1980s and 90s, and even at the start of this century, because the fiscal crisis implied inability to honor foreign debt.
23 May 2016
An investment exit on Brexit?
Although the possibility of Brexit looms above the financial community, the impact of such an event is unlikely to significantly alter the investment strategies of large British institutional investors as Central and Eastern European investment levels are low.
23 May 2016
Will Mexico tow the US Fed’s line?
The Mexican Central Bank, Banco de Mexico, has already surprised markets with an interest rate hike this year. With a weakening peso and looming US Federal Reserve Policy meeting in June, followed by a Banco de Mexico policy meeting shortly afterwards, there is a possibility that Mexico could again raise interest rates.
20 May 2016
Argentina bond restrictions to limit ‘hot money’
It wasn’t so long ago that Argentina was struggling to access international investors, but after a huge surge in demand following the sovereign’s landmark issuance the country’s central bank has moved to limit foreign investors’ access to short term central bank notes in a bid to combat hot money and currency destabilisation.
19 May 2016
Basel III: Risk, Liquidity, and Capital in the Middle East
With liquidity rapidly tightening and Basel III slowly coming into effect both formally and informally across the GCC, banks in the region are undergoing a significant transformation as they adjust to the capital adequacy, liquidity and risk management techniques outlined in the framework. But questions are being raised about whether the new capital rules will put the brakes on UAE banks’ rapid…
16 May 2016
Chile readying Basel III, banking, bond market reforms
Chile is readying a series of reforms aimed at modernizing the country’s banking system and creating a more liquid bond market, the country’s Minister of Finance Rodrigo Valdes told investors this week.
13 May 2016
Video: Usman Ahmed, Head of Fixed Income, Emirates NBD Asset Management
How have outside factors affected the debt markets in the GCC?
10 May 2016
Video: Henrik Raber, Standard Chartered
Henrik Raber, Managing Director, Global Head Capital Markets, Standard Chartered discusses how low oil prices have affected the performance of Middle Eastern capital markets compared to other emerging markets.
10 May 2016
Emerging markets popularity could ease – but not as a result of dollar action
The recent rebound in the performance of emerging markets has renewed the interest of international investors. Although the threat of an increasingly strong dollar has subsided, and many currencies have stabilised, there remain deep concerns over the future growth of these markets, which could prompt a reversal of fortunes.
6 May 2016
Is Russia’s frosty relationship with international markets a boon for its debt?
With Russia’s Alfa bank looking to access the debt capital markets in the near future, and given a recent lack of Russian activity on the international markets, there is a possibility that Russian debt could prove to be as popular as Argentina’s recent bond debut – according to Russia’s Deputy Finance Minister. But is that really the case?
5 May 2016