BNP Paribas’ structuring team is meeting growing demand with some innovative approaches. Edward Russell-Walling explains.

Climbing oil prices may be a headache for the West, but could provide Africa with much needed development revenue.

As major players face rating downgrades, observers wonder if the problems in the credit market will cascade into the equity markets.

Last year, there was a big buzz about a book by Chris Anderson called The Long Tail, which describes the phenomenon of internet retailing. The concept is that traditional shops have a physical limit on shelf capacity so, for example, a music store can only stock as many titles as its physical space allows.

A consortium including Goldman Sachs won the mandate for a strategic review and IPO execution for Turkey’s state-owned Halkbank. A tight schedule for US distribution and a political/religious row that spilled volatility into the Istanbul stock market failed to derail the sale. Edward Russell-Walling reports.

All the talk of dealers and brokers giving up the ghost as a result of technology, regulation and margins is pure balderdash. They will take a leaf out of IFAs’ book by working harder to justify their existence and becoming more sought after.
By Chris Skinner.

Through the successful Asian marketing of IPOs for Russian property developers Sistema-Hals and PIK, Nomura’s Moscow operation has managed to position itself as a gateway to ‘eastern’ investors.Edward Russell-Walling explains.

It is high time France was given some credit for operating an economy that is more open than most to foreign companies.

The US and IMF’s targeting of China’s currency has as much to do with playing to the political gallery as it does with economics.

A 10-fold increase in bilateral trade means China is set to eclipse Europe and the US as the main foreign actor in Africa.