Noel Coward once wrote a song called ‘There are bad times just around the corner’, although I doubt he had the US economy in mind when he wrote it. However, as far as the US is concerned, in spite of the prognostications of many, the ‘corner’ has yet to be reached.

Venezuela’s president may shock with his ‘socialist’ pronouncements but the banking sector is not worried.

The market for loans to SMEs is flourishing in Peru, where the economy is strong and credit histories easy to check, but Colombia is lagging behind and in Brazil few SMEs can get their hands on a loan. John Rumsey reports from São Paulo.

Despite Latin America’s buoyant economy, external sovereign issuance from the region will be limited this year – hence investors are focusing on local currency bonds to obtain better yields. Kathryn Tully examines the risks involved.

Brazilian companies are starting to use syndicated loans as part of a toolbox to create more stable, flexible debt profiles. John Rumsey reports.

The Dominican Republic’s infrastructure is a mixture of shining success and some failures that need to be addressed by the government, writes
John McCarthy.

Free zones, a gleaming new Cyberpark and the prospective potential of DR-CAFTA combine to create a competitive environment that is attracting international investors and public sector funding.

Industry and commerce minister Francisco Javier García Fernández and his director of foreign trade Vilma Arbaje de Contreras talk to The Banker about the Dominican Republic’s prospects under DR-CAFTA.

Finance minister Vicente Bengoa explains how DR-CAFTA’s system of tax-free exports to the US should help the country survive Chinese textile competition.