The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reinvented itself as a new, user-friendly, more politically sensitive organisation.
Agricultural Bank of China still targets world's largest IPO
July 28, 2010Agricultural Bank of China could well achieve a record IPO despite a modest market debut
Agricultural Bank of China's initial public offering (IPO) - which the bank hopes will be the world's largest - has raised $19.3bn so far from investors from its listings in Hong Kong and Shanghai. If the bank exercises its overallotment options, this would take it over the $22bn mark, just above fellow Chinese bank ICBC's listing in 2006, which is the world's largest IPO to date.
Is Nigeria on track to realise its rich potential?
July 28, 2010Fixing its banks and power shortages would go a long way towards setting Nigeria on a sustainable growth path. The government has recently taken two steps in the right direction.
Regulators ignore hard facts to pick off easy prey
July 28, 2010Banks failed in the recent crisis because they lent money to the wrong people - sometimes done by way of complicated structures but bad credits all the same - and because they were undercapitalised.
Chávez calls for calm after bank takeovers
July 6, 2010President Chávez: no more nationalisations
President Hugo Chávez has sought to allay investors' fears after the Venezuelan government took over Banco Federal. The president said he has no plans to take over more banks at this time and he urged people not to withdraw their deposits. The move follows a flurry of bank nationalisations and the creation of a new regulated foreign exchange market to stop the rapid depreciation of the bolivar and stem capital flight - thought to be about $24bn last year.
The G-20? Better to make changes to the IMF
July 6, 2010The G-20 played a key role in averting a global depression but the IMF has greater overall legitimacy.
Reducing trade imbalance is in China's interest
July 6, 2010To the average member of the US Congress, the world is a simple place - if China can be pushed to let the renminbi float free or at least be revalued, the US trade deficit with China will disappear and US manufacturing jobs will magically reappear.
