Latest articles from World

Never mind the banking union in Europe

A European banking union means little unless there is greater consultation on the regulation of cross-border banking groups between home and host nations, and not just in Europe.

Hong Kong tops inward financial services FDI ranking

Hong Kong has shown impressive growth in its foreign direct investment attraction, recording the largest global inward investment in the financial services sector.

Opportunities abound in African agriculture
From World / Africa

Cropping up: Opportunities abound in African agriculture

Africa’s agricultural sector may still be underdeveloped, but it is growing as investors increasingly seek to exploit local and regional sources of demand and develop the continent’s processing capacity. A greater provision of banking services is also helping.

On the rise: lenders such as Qatar National Bank have benefited from the country’s construction boom

Qatar's banks stand strong

Despite the rapid growth that Qatar – and its banking sector – has experienced in recent years, the country's government is not resting on its laurels and is actively looking to address issues such as an overcrowding of the market, overdependence on foreign funding and the economy’s lack of diversification. 

Making the money flow

Making the money flow: Can Europe's SME financing woes be solved?

SMEs are often cited as the backbone of any given developed economy. However, in Europe in particular, a lack of financing from banks is stunting the growth of these businesses. Alternative lending models are rising in prominence, and some banks are looking to up their game in this sector, but is this too little, too late?

Ravi Menon

Balancing act for Singapore's central bank chief

Large capital inflows and structural changes at home are just two of the challenges for Singapore's economy, says the Monetary Authority of Singapore's managing director.

Into Africa: BNP enters new territory
From World / Africa / Rwanda

BNP Paribas leads investors deeper into Africa

A sovereign bond issue by Rwanda took the capital markets into uncharted territory, but the syndicate team at BNP Paribas found investors keen to seize the opportunity to diversify their portfolios.

Panama passage to growth
From World / Americas

Panama's passage to growth

Panama's buoyant economy has allowed its banking sector to flourish. And, with future economic growth as good as guaranteed with the forthcoming completion of the Panama Canal expansion, many of the country's lenders are making moves to further capitalise on the country's prosperous position.

Europe's new corporate funding landscape

Europe’s new corporate funding landscape

The eurozone crisis has led to a surge in corporate bond issuance among European companies as they look to diversify from bank funding. But the relationship between banks and corporate clients has scarcely weakened. In some ways, it might even have strengthened.

EU bonus rules fail to cap risks

The EU is set to cap bonuses at 200% of basic salary, but there is no evidence that this will improve risk-taking behaviour in investment banking.