Managing Capital Flows: Lessons from Emerging Markets for Frontier Economies

Managing Capital Flows: Lessons from Emerging Markets for Frontier Economies

Capital flows, and their successful management, have long been a focus of the IMF’s work and policy advice. Indeed, when John Maynard Keynes and Harry Dexter White—the principal architects of Bretton Woods—were discussing the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, they clashed on many points, but they were surprisingly in agreement when it came to cross-border capital flows. Both men took as their starting point that, as White said, “the desirability of encouraging the flow of productive…

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Continued Reforms are Necessary Despite the Slowdown in Exploration Projects

Continued Reforms are Necessary Despite the Slowdown in Exploration Projects

Investors are likely to delay the development of oil and gas projects in sub-Saharan Africa and change the scope of their early-stage projects due to the sharp decline in oil and gas prices. Mark Essex, director of Oil and Gas: KPMG in Kenya, says host countries will be disappointed by the postponement of the development of these projects as they have worked hard at making their countries attractive investment destinations for oil and gas players….

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South Africa’s Standard Bank posts flat 2014 earnings

South Africa’s Standard Bank posts flat 2014 earnings

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank by assets, reported a 1 percent rise in full-year profits on Thursday, roughly in line with expectations, thanks to increases in lending, fees and trading. Stripping out its London-based division, in which Standard Bank is selling a controlling stake to China’s ICBC, headline earnings rose 20 percent. Standard Bank raised its dividend 12 percent to 598 cents per share. The lender said headline earnings per share (EPS)…

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Private Equity Investment in Africa Buoyed by Continuous Growth in 2014

Private Equity Investment in Africa Buoyed by Continuous Growth in 2014

London, United Kingdom, 2 March 2015: The outlook for private equity in Africa remains exceptionally positive for 2015, a new report by the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA) reveals. This is in spite of ongoing challenges concerning subdued growth prospects in Europe and China and any short-term uncertainties on the continent itself. The report, released on 27th February 2015, shows growing support for, and increased investor confidence in, African private equity over the…

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Africa’s Afreximbank looks to Islamic finance with IDB tie-up

Africa’s Afreximbank looks to Islamic finance with IDB tie-up

MANAMA, March 3 The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), the private sector arm of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB), has signed an agreement with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to cooperate in the development of the private sector in ICD member countries in Africa. Under the terms of the agreement signed in Manama on 2 March 2015, the two institutions will collaborate in joint operations, expand financial products and…

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Corporate debt maturing in 2015-19 totals $8.9 trillion

Corporate debt maturing in 2015-19 totals $8.9 trillion

Standard & Poor’s projected that $8,879bn in corporate debt worldwide would mature between 2015 and 2019, with $1,610bn due in 2015, $1,753bn in 2016, $1,894bn in 2017, $1,714bn in 2018 and $1,908bn in 2019. The U.S. has $3,700bn in maturing debt during the covered period or 41.7% of the global maturing debt; followed by Europe with $3,631bn (40.9%), other developed countries with $969bn (10.9%) and emerging markets with $578bn (6.5%). In addition, non-financial corporate debt…

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Nigeria’s bank ratings placed on CreditWatch negative

Nigeria’s bank ratings placed on CreditWatch negative

 Standard & Poor’s placed the ‘BB-‘ long-term issuer credit rating on Access Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Zenith Bank on CreditWatch with negative implications, following similar action on Nigeria’s sovereign ratings. It expected the Nigerian banking sector to face difficulties in 2015. Also, it said that low global oil prices, the pressure on the Nigerian naira, the upcoming presidential elections and the regulatory changes are raising credit risks,…

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