Latest articles from Paul Wallace

Standard Chartered ups Africa game

Standard Chartered pushes further into Africa

July 1, 2013

Standard Chartered already has one of the largest African businesses among banks from outside the continent, but it still wants to increase its operations there substantially in the next few years. Diana Layfield, its chief executive for Africa, tells Paul Wallace how.

Seth Terkper, Ghana's finance minister

Ghana finance minister looks to regain fiscal credibility

July 1, 2013

Ghana has a rapidly growing economy and can count itself as one of Africa’s most mature democracies. But the credibility of its fiscal management was badly damaged last year when it posted a huge budget deficit. Seth Terkper, its minister of finance and economic planning, tells Paul Wallace how he plans to cut it.

China dominates net interest rankings

July 1, 2013

China's banking dominance has extended into the net interest income rankings, though the trading income tables have a more old-world feel to them.

Latin America bucks trend as LTDs fall globally

July 1, 2013

The global trend for loan-to-deposit ratios was one of decline in 2012, though Latin America did experience a notable growth in this field.

South Africans slump while the rest of Africa rises

July 1, 2013

South Africa's lenders still dominate Africa's banking landscape, but their sluggish 2012 means that the rest are making up ground.

Europe's new corporate funding landscape

Europe’s new corporate funding landscape

June 3, 2013

The eurozone crisis has led to a surge in corporate bond issuance among European companies as they look to diversify from bank funding. But the relationship between banks and corporate clients has scarcely weakened. In some ways, it might even have strengthened.

Opportunities abound in African agriculture

Cropping up: Opportunities abound in African agriculture

June 3, 2013

Africa’s agricultural sector may still be underdeveloped, but it is growing as investors increasingly seek to exploit local and regional sources of demand and develop the continent’s processing capacity. A greater provision of banking services is also helping.

Angola

Changes loom for booming Angola

May 1, 2013

Angola has recovered quickly from its slump four years ago and regained its position as one of the world’s most buoyant economies. But despite that, the country's ruling party will have to adapt to the changing expectations of Angolans, for many of whom peace is no longer enough. 

Luadna

Angola: an economy in progress

May 1, 2013

Angola’s government has won plaudits for its macroeconomic reforms since the 2009 crisis, but plenty more are needed to lure foreign investment and modernise what is still one of the world’s toughest business environments.

Millenium Bank headquarters

A new landscape for Angola's fast-growing banks

May 1, 2013

Life for Angola’s banks is getting harder, thanks in no small part to falling interest rates and new taxes. But, as the country's economy continues to perform impressively, growth opportunities will remain. The challenge will be to make sure that this growth is sustainable. 

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