July/August 2020

Commercial real estate is being reshaped by the health crisis, offering both risk and opportunity.

A bleak feeling looms over the upper class as the coronavirus pandemic drags on.

Subcustodians make cross-border securities investing possible. Global Finance recognizes the best of them around the world.

Roy Bahat is head of Bloomberg Beta, a venture capital fund investing in artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions to reshape the workplace and global markets. Global Finance sat virtually with Bahat to discuss AI, the future of work and venture investing.

China could keep key industries strong and avoid a recession.

China’s government is using loans, tax deferments, rent reductions and even sales leads to help smaller enterprises—“capillaries of the market economy”—survive Covid-19.

German fintech Wirecard collapses amid fraud allegations.

More than half of Brazil’s 209.5 million people do not have access to water or sewer services.

The Trump administration scores a diplomatic victory.

"One country, two systems" is rapidly becoming one country, one system.

Most companies around the world are being profoundly affected by Covid-19, and the impact on financial reporting and control is significant.

Over half a dozen candidates are vying to succeed Roberto Azevêdo as head of the World Trade Organization.

Divided Poland narrowly re-elects the Law and Justice party president.

China's Elon Musk comes from humble beginnings.

France's new finance minister has his work cut out for him.

Lebanon's economy spirals as regional tensions exacerbate domestic political turmoil.

Allegations of corruption and nepotism dog Malawi's new president.

Google wants to solve Kenya's 5G problem while most Kenyans would be happy to get 3G.

Akulaku's ambitions are not limited to the Indonesian market it dominates.

The uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 has made data, analytics, and machine learning more valuable than ever.

Cash may not be king anymore but it's not going away any time soon.

Bitcoin technology finds another practical use.

Big Saudi banks are about to get even bigger.

This will challenge the continent’s two largest payment processing networks and supersede the existing fragmented landscape by providing a unified payment solution to consumers and merchants across Europe using a card and a digital wallet. 

The five-year bond will enhance Henkel’s commitment to 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025.

Asian governments move to extract revenue from e-commerce.

Reliance group’s campaign to de-leverage continued with the sale of its nascent oil retailing venture to British Petroleum, bringing another $1 billion to its kit.

The new tool could enable the Fed to keep yields lower for longer, without necessarily continuing to expand its balance sheet.

Rwanda faces its past and securing post-pandemic economic growth.

GCC-based countries are drawing down their foreign exchange reserves to protect their dollar pegs and tapping global debt markets for record amounts, along with corporates.

Facing an economic crisis, GCC banks are looking to tech transformation and bracing for a second wave of mergers.

Joseph Abraham, group CEO of Commercial Bank of Qatar, talks with Global Finance about how his bank is dealing with the current climate.

Ahmed Abdelaal, group CEO of Mashreq Bank, discusses his new position and how Mashreq is handling the pandemic.

Saudi Arabia’s big VAT hike balances falling oil revenue. But what about economic recovery?

GCC banks are enduring a grim year. Islamic banks may weather the storm better than their conventional rivals.

Facing the combined effects of Covid-19 and an oil crisis, GCC governments and banks are looking to accelerate economic diversification and transition to sustainable finance.

Outdated lending practices and a structural focus on government-related enterprises are keeping banks from backing the region’s beleaguered smaller companies.