At a time of fiscal austerity across many countries in Europe, clampdowns on tax planning by large corporates or wealthy individuals play favourably with voters. But they can also undermine competitiveness and the fragile economic recovery.
Latest articles from Analysis & Opinion
Argentina takes another backwards step
April 23, 2012Latin America seems to have finally freed itself from its failing patterns of populism with impressive economic results, but Venezuela and, more evidently, Argentina remain reluctant to play ball.
Missed opportunity at the World Bank
April 23, 2012The appointment of a US academic to head the world Bank instead of Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala shows how out of touch the institution is.
National Bank of Rwanda governor averts inflation hike
April 2, 2012Rwanda’s monetary authorities stood out from their east African peers in 2011 for managing to withstand the severe inflationary pressures buffeting the region. Claver Gatete, governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, explains how this was done and what the country's government is doing to lure more foreign direct investment.
SocGen's DCM team makes most of bank disintermediation trend
April 2, 2012Thus far, 2012 has witnessed a marked trend of corporates eschewing bank lending and turning instead to the debt capital markets. By acting quickly, the DCM team at SGCIB has put itself at the forefront of many of these deals.
Bulge bracket pair scale down for StormHarbour
April 2, 2012Boutique investment bank StormHarbour was created in 2009 with the intention of reviving a more tailored and less conflicted approach to serving clients. The idea is attracting a growing number of heavy hitters.
The repo market is vital, not villainous
March 26, 2012The misuse of the repo market by Lehman Brothers and MF Global should not prompt hasty regulation proposals, because the vast majority of repo activity is entirely transparent and straightforward.
Chinese banks move up a gear in Latin America financing
March 26, 2012As China becomes a growing source of finance in Latin America, looking to internationalise the renminbi and diversify its investments away from low-yielding US debt securities, both parties seem to be reaping the rewards. But does this blossoming relationship simply highlight Latin America's dependence on commodities?
Shedding light on shadow banking
March 26, 2012The rise of non-bank intermediaries in Europe is an opportunity, not a threat
Will North Korea change course?
March 21, 2012Already North Korea's new leader Kim Jong-un has taken a step forward and a step back in cooperating with the international community. Will his reign mark the beginning of a more diplomatic North Korea or just more of the same?