Global Investing

CORPORATE FINANCING NEWS: MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS By Gordon Platt   Shanghui International, China’s biggest pork producer, agreed to pay $4.7 billion to acquire Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork producer.   If the deal succeeds, it should be the biggest ...

MODEL FOR GROWTH? By Vanessa Drucker   The Troika’s “darling of reform” is in its third year of recession. Citizens—and policy-makers—want to see the promised economic rebound.   Portugal and the European Union depend on one another. On the one ...

A GLOBAL CONNECTION   SWIFT’s annual Sibos conference is just around the corner, and this year attendees will gather in Dubai. With Middle Eastern companies following the trend now seen in many emerging markets and increasing the sophistication of their ...

TRADING IN THE GREEN By Udayan Gupta At Global Finance ’s monthly Salon, Izzet Bensusan, executive director of renewable-energy investment boutique Karbone, discussed the market dynamics, financing and investment oppor-tunities for alternative energy.   PHOTO: KATE FREY Given a politically ...

MILESTONES: BANGLADESH   By Udayan Gupta   Even as Bangladesh tries to extricate itself from the Rana Plaza building collapse, the Dhaka disaster that killed more than 1,100 garment workers, one private equity fund is trying to infuse new capital into ...

SUNSET, OR A NEW SUNRISE? By Michael Shari Brazil faces a monumental challenge in meeting the expectations of its citizens, corporations and global investors over the next several years, as the nation invests heavily to host the World Cup and ...

CORPORATE FINANCING NEWS: GLOBAL EQUITY/DRS By Gordon Platt   The pace of capital raising using depositary receipts has accelerated sharply from last year, and the pipeline of future issues is strong, DR bankers say.   Much of the recent activity ...

CORPORATE FINANCING NEWS: FOREIGN EXCHANGE By Gordon Platt   Volatility has returned to the currency markets, as participants weigh the likelihood that the Federal Reserve could dial back on its purchases of bonds if the US economy improves.   A relatively ...

THE CONTENDER
Cambodia is emerging as a key investment destination—and potential consumer market—for companies focused on Southeast Asia. After more than a decade of 6%-plus growth—with just one hiccup during the global crisis in 2009—this nation of 15 million people has begun attracting serious interest.

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES   By Udayan Gupta   The world’s central banks are on a desperate mission to stave off deflation. But even if their short-term fixes work, the long-term outcomes may have unplanned results.   Central banks are in an ...

WAITING FOR THE RENAISSANCE   By Gordon Platt   Egypt’s elections promised much in terms of building a modern and democratic state. But the realities of governing for the Muslim Brotherhood are proving more difficult than initially thought—and some economic ...

CORPORATE FINANCING NEWS: MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS   By Gordon Platt   Technology deals—ranging from telecommunications to biotechnology and oilfield equipment—have kept the US mergers and acquisitions arena active of late. German real estate and Asian consumer markets have also attracted ...

MILESTONES: GLOBAL   By Erik Heinrich   Japan has been invited to participate in negotiations that extend the reach of Nafta into South America and the Asia Pacific region.   Other members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), expected to be the world’s ...

MILESTONES: LUXEMBOURG   By Forrest Jones   Another tax haven is set to unveil its operations, this time in Western Europe. Luxembourg recently agreed to share confidential banking details belonging to multinational companies with its neighbors.   The move, which will help ...

CORPORATE FINANCING NEWS: GLOBAL EQUITY/DRS By Gordon Platt Brazilian companies are rushing to go public despite a double-digit decline in the benchmark Bovespa stock index so far this year. A record $7 billion was raised from six initial public offerings ...

CORPORATE FINANCING NEWS: CORPORATE DEBT   By Gordon Platt   Apple’s $17 billion corporate bond offering was not only the largest in history, but it exemplified a clever financial strategy that will save the company billions of dollars in US taxes. ...

MILESTONES: IRAQ   By Gordon Platt   The five largest nongovernmental banks in Iraq posted a 207% increase in aggregate earnings between 2010 and 2012, thanks to the country’s strong economic growth and increasing demand for credit, according to a report on ...

STRONG RESPONSE TO NEW BANKING LICENSES   By Aaron Chaze   As of early May nearly 100 Indian corporate entities have expressed interest in the Reserve Bank of India’s invitation for applications for new bank licenses.   Photo Credits: RUPA / ...