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Prospects for nuclear financing
Silvia Pavoni reports on the potential and pitfalls of private finance for the UK’s new nuclear power station building programme.
Exotix boldly tackles the Yemeni frontiers
So-called ‘frontier markets’ hold no fears for some investors. Edward Russell-Walling reports on how broker-cum-investment bank Exotix went digging for profits in the zinc mines of Yemen.
The ESG frontrunners
The Banker/Innovest Top ESG Global Banks listing identifies the institutions that are at the forefront of the trend for environmental, social and strategic governance to inform business strategy, providing a benchmark for the ESG effect. In our launch of the ranking, we find those that take ESG seriously have a better stock market performance.
The selfish green
Vicki Bakhshi, associate director at F&C
The world of green initiatives is opening up to investors – whether green or sceptic – as banks create climate change-related financial products and indices. Silvia Pavoni reports.
Constructing new routes
Infrastructure finance has formed an important part of the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) boom of recent years. According to Thomson Financial, the value of infrastructure-related deals exceeded $300bn globally both in 2006 and 2007. Despite these record levels of investment, there is no sign of the demand for infrastructure assets relenting as financial sponsors, notably specialist infrastructure funds, continue to drive the growth of the market.
A healthy appetite in Canada
Stability and access to a wealth of natural resources makes Canada attractive for investors. Geraldine Lambe reports on the resulting buoyant activity in the country’s capital markets.
Trade financing in Africa: new structures for the future
Bankers and governments have been moving back into trade financing in Africa and creating new financial structures to mitigate the risks.
Innovative structuring
Silvia Pavoni reports on a record-breaking wind power project financed purely on future cash flows.
Financing infrastructure in Africa: scope and opportunities
$40bn is needed over five years to finance infrastructure and sustain growth rates in Africa.
Green light for sustainability
Cynics argue that banks’ new-found green credentials are primarily about protecting market share, while banks argue that without the latter there is unlikely to be a commitment to the former. Neil Tyler finds out which banks are setting the pace.
Plenty of room for derivativesin project finance space
Robin Baker, SG CIB
Large numbers of energy and infrastructure projects across the globe have been funded through the use of project finance, opening up established and emerging economies to new forms of economic growth. Banks compete fiercely to fund these deals, but face a host of complex risks. Natasha de Terán explores how they manage them.
Including Africa
Jean-Louis Ekra explains why Afreximbank has introduced a carbon financing programme.
Enel goes to bond market
Claudio Machetti,Enel
Italy’s Enel is set to become a bond market regular, following its successful bid for Spain’s Endesa. Finance chief Claudio Machetti talks to Edward Russell-Walling about its latest corporate issue.
Dan Cozine
The managing director and co-head of the Americas energy and commodities structured debt team at BNP Paribas tells Kathryn Tully what lies behind the bank’s restructuring to form a new global energy and commodities structured debt team.
The next stop for investment in public private partnerships
Bankers are looking at the BRIC countries to expand their business and to boost public private partnership portfolios. Which are the most appealing locations? Silvia Pavoni, John Rumsey, Ben Aris and Kala Rao report on the state of PPP development in Brazil, Russia, China and India .
Saudi leads way in Gulf boom
Banks retain a voracious appetite for Middle East project finance, which continues to generate new milestones as margins get ever tighter, write Kevin Godier, Mark Ford and Nadine Marroushi.
Cities of gold
What makes a successful international financial centre? Michael Imeson reports on the imperfect art of ascertaining which world city is truly the greatest.
Catering to an appetite for instant gratification
Martin Spurr, head of e-Markets at Royal Bank of Scotland
With FXMarketSpace, Reuters and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange are targeting traders’ need for instantaneous execution and clearing. Mark Pelham reports on the further opening of the FX market.
More than a gas success story
Yousuf Hussein Kamal: plans for financial sector
As its gas boom continues, Qatar is attracting prestigious financial institutions interested in project finance and local wealth. Stephen Timewell reports from Doha.
Call to maintain risk management standards
Delegates at the IIF meeting were urged not to allow best practice to slip in the face of increasing investor appetite. Neil Tyler reports .
Selling junk to hit gold
Kathleen Quirk, Freeport’s CFO
When a merger fell through last autumn, mining company Freeport-McMoRan was undeterred. It has just bought a rival and issued the world’s biggest junk bond to pay for it. Edward Russell-Walling explains.
Good principles are hard to live up to
Dan Siddy: EP is ‘not a panacea’
Cracks are starting to appear in the Equator Principles. While banks may not lend money for non-compliant projects, they are still free to invest or to lend to export credit agencies that do the financing. Geraldine Lambe explores the new reputational risks this throws up.
A new capital markets driver
A surge in activity on the global property market has triggered growth in the globalisation of property finance and the property securities markets. Neil Tyler reports.
Key developments in real estate investment in 2007
Europe, Asia and North America are holding real estate investment managers’ interest, with a focus on developing indirect funds, according to the latest research.
Europe gets ready to play catch-up
Domenico Picone: US market is an alternative funding source for buyers of subordinate CMBS
Commercial real estate CDOs are big business in the US, where more than 42 such deals priced last year. In Europe, just two deals have come to market so far, but expectations for the market’s growth are high. Natasha de Terán explores the potential.
Image makers
Following the launch of The Banker’s Top 100 Brands in banking league table last November, we asked a number of banks how they value their brands and define their brand strategies. Report by Michael Imeson.
