With bank lending drying up last year, many Latin American corporates turned to the bond market to strengthen their cash positions. The resulting boom has instilled a sense of confidence in the region, with firms in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia leading the way. Writer Jason Mitchell
World
Latest articles from World
Will Chile's right turn mean business?
March 3, 2010Chile's new right-wing government has promised to sustain the country's growth trajectory with a series of reforms, aimed at diversifying its economy, which is highly dependent on the copper industry, and improving conditions for SMEs. Writer Jason Mitchell
Brazilian banks tread cautiously on expansion
March 3, 2010Recent rumours about Brazilian bank expansion would suggest that the country's main players are thinking big. Itaú Unibanco in particular has been linked with a number of deals across the globe, while Banco do Brasil is believed to be considering a move into Argentina. The reality, however, looks likely to be much more prosaic. Writer John Rumsey
Argentina: Sacking of central bank governor damages country's reputation
March 3, 2010The 'soap opera' surrounding the protracted dismissal of the Argentine central bank governor by president Cristina Kirchner has damaged the country's international image and highlighted major weaknesses within its institutions. Writer Jason Mitchell
IDB focuses on LatAm inequality
March 3, 2010Luis Alberto Moreno, president of the Inter-American Development Bank - the international body which supports the growth of Latin America and the Caribbean - outlines his short-term and long-term priorities. Writer Silvia Pavoni
Tarisa Watanagase
March 3, 2010The Bank of Thailand's tenacious governor reflects on the central bank's staunch risk management reforms which saw the country's banking sector through the credit crisis in good shape, and looks ahead to the next challenge - of negotiating a macro-prudential economic policy across south-east Asia. Writer Michelle Price
World
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Vietnam braced for retail ramp-up
March 3, 2010Vietnam's large unbanked population and its growing middle class present a major opportunity for local and foreign banks alike, who see vast potential in the country's underdeveloped retail banking and consumer finance sectors. Writer Michelle Price
Cautious optimism prevails in Europe's youngest nation
March 3, 2010A diversified economy of micro-businesses has shielded Kosovo from the worst effects of the financial crisis, but its unresolved national status and uncertain legal environment continue to pose challenges. Writer Nick Saywell
Latvia: Searching for a new path to economic growth
March 3, 2010Flooded with Scandinavian liquidity during the boom years, Latvia has suffered the most severe bust in the EU and bankers are devising a new business model while clearing up the consequences of the old one. Writer Philip Alexander
Politics holds key to lending
March 3, 2010There are no guarantees that a new president will usher in greater economic and political stability in Ukraine, which makes further consolidation likely in the country's under-pressure banking sector. Writer Philip Alexander
