Global news and insight for corporate financial professionals
UNITED STATES
In its 2013 report to Congress, the Export-Import Bank of the United States says that its “overriding mission is to create and sustain American jobs by supporting US exports.” But that very mission is under threat, with House Financial Services Committee chairman Jeb Hensarling, among others, seeking to abolish the bank.
Events in Ukraine have changed the outlook for Russia. Now the country faces choices about its global role that could affect the rest of the world for decades. Which path will it take?
SWEDEN
Known as a credible and pragmatic politician, the leader of Sweden’s Social Democratic party, Stefan Löfven, is gearing up to become the country’s next prime minister.
ARGENTINA
The aftermath of Argentina’s so-called default on July 31 doesn’t at all resemble the catastrophe accompanying its earlier default in 2002, when the country was unable to repay $100 billion of debt and the economy collapsed, costing millions of jobs.
DEAR READER
Do ongoing conflicts and increasing geopolitical tensions represent a threat to globalization, or are they simply redesigning the map of the world?
UNITED KINGDOM
With a seminal speech at the beginning of August, London’s larger-than-life mayor, Boris Johnson, positioned himself as a candidate for the future leadership of the Conservative Party.
THE BRICS
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa now have something more in common than rapidly developing economies that have recently stalled. In July they gave life to the New Development Bank (NDB), the first multilateral institution controlled by developing countries.
GHANA
The world’s second-largest producer of cocoa, is expected to ask the International Monetary Fund for help.
The sixth round of talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the United States and the European Union was held in Brussels on July 18 just as winds of political change have begun sweeping across the two continents.
COVER STORY | INDIA
As prime minister Narendra Modi begins his term in office, global market watchers are hopeful that it could signal a sea change for India’s governance, economy and friendliness to business. But most are tempering that enthusiasm with a dose of skepticism.
REGIONAL FOCUS | EMERGING ASIA
The bigger the opportunity, the bigger the risk. This certainly holds true for frontier and emerging economies in Asia. Finding the right balance between the two is a key challenge for multinationals looking to invest there.
SCOTLAND
The outcome of this September’s referendum on Scottish independence remains too close to call.
ASIA
The members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) are faced with important decisions over the organization’s future amid increasing conflicts between China and member states over territorial claims in the South China Sea.
DEAR READER
Geopolitical instability seems to be everywhere these days, whether we look to North Africa and the Middle East or Eastern Europe, to Southern Asia or Southeast Asia, and it weighs on financial markets and policymakers worldwide.
COUNTRY REPORT
With strong underpinnings for reform now in place, Portugal is seeing signs of economic improvement. But now that it has increased exports, will greater vulnerability to global trade winds haunt growth?
RUSSIA/CHINA
The recent raft of Chinese investments into Russia following president Putin’s May visit to Shanghai might look like a rapid response to counter Western sanctions.
COLOMBIA
Juan Manuel Santos’ second term as president of Colombia might prove a bit harder than his first—and not only because he won this election with a lower majority.
COUNTRY REPORT | NIGERIA
Nigeria lacks one key element for stellar growth: a power sector commensurate with its prospects.
DEAR READER
The return of growth in most of Europe and the renewed leadership of the US in economic advancement should not distract from critical developments in some of the major emerging economies.
We sat down with Fergus McCormick, head of sovereign ratings at DBRS, to discuss the rating agency’s outlook for global markets, sovereign ratings and how the firm differs from its competitors.