A buy-and-hold mentality is thwarting Brazil’s debt capital market, limiting access to long-term funding in the country. A number of initiatives have been launched to help deepen the market, but will they help it meet the mounting finance requirements of domestic development projects and local corporates?
Starvation and the effects of a poor diet continue to blight a large percentage of the world's population, despite the fact that enough food is produced to eradicate hunger. It is now time for the private sector to play a bigger role in tackling this problem, which would bring with it economic and humanitarian rewards.
Brazilian infrastructure is in desperate need of investment if it is to support the country's growing economy. But with restrictions on foreign investment, limited public and domestic funding and opposition to further development from environmentalists, taking advantage of the plethora of opportunities in this sector is not straightforward.
Recent 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
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