Is the party over for the annual meeting extravaganzas?

China’s new ‘dual circulation’ economic system aims to slash imports while keeping export growth high. Analysts say it is simple protectionism and will only lead to more trade conflicts.

While banks have made progress on integrating environmental considerations into areas such as project finance and corporate lending, investment bankers have so far faced few – if any – sustainability-related restrictions on their activities.

The penny is finally dropping – and bankers in Brazil appear to be taking deforestation in the Amazon seriously.

Of all the shocks that have buffeted the world economy this year, one of the greatest is the unquestioned willingness of governments worldwide to implement emergency financial relief at scale through the banking system in response to Covid-19.

September 2020

The ECB has been pushing consolidation in the hope that it will make European banks more efficient and sustainable, but it will require large-scale job losses in a weak economy.

The trend towards social debt issuance at the expense of green bonds poses a conundrum for firms looking to appoint credible leaders for a push into sustainable financing.

Africa’s most ambitious homegrown regional bank has a problem, and it is called Nigeria. If it doesn’t solve it, the Nigerian business will hamper Ecobank’s goal of banking 100 million people across the rest of the continent.

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing is moving beyond a compliance-focused cancel culture, giving US banks an undeserved chance to win market share from European firms.

Governments need to step up to take a more proactive and innovative role in creating new markets.

Environmental, social and governance ratings are far from perfect – but criticism of the industry too often misses the mark.

By clinging to the rhetoric of protecting fossil fuel jobs, Trump is helping no one.

The EU recovery fund could deliver so much more than just a short-term boost to peripheral sovereign bonds and European equities.

The markets have been very relaxed about emerging markets adopting quantitative easing – and that, in itself, could become a problem.

Does the investment manager’s decision to shutter its Hong Kong office and relocate to Shanghai matter?

Transaction is part of a trend for divestment from conglomerates to private equity.

The US and China are growing apart by the day, and whether Trump or Biden is in the White House come January may make no difference. What does this mean for financial institutions everywhere?

Exits at ABN Amro, including its big operation in commodity trade finance, raise questions about ING, as both firms enjoy much better returns in Dutch retail lending.

The government’s resignation this week could pave the way for reform – and unlock essential IMF funding – but is the will to change there?

State-guaranteed lending to help hard-hit firms in Germany has lagged its equivalents in France, Spain, Italy and the UK. State development bank KfW says that’s a good thing.

As expected, DBS and UOB reported dramatic year-on-year declines in profitability, but both were protected by their range.

The managing director retires in October. RBI has three names to contemplate as his possible successor.

Unprecedented oil volatility and gold at a record high may tempt banks back into commodity trading, but conflicts of interest with ESG goals could quickly emerge.

Najib Razak’s 12-year sentence on corruption charges is a landmark for Malaysia. But he also tried to drag in former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz and AmBank managing director Cheah Teck Kuang.

The sovereign wealth fund is withdrawing to cash, has seen a once-in-a-generation drawdown and is positioning defensively.

The coronavirus recession makes the need for bank consolidation in Europe even more pressing. But neither a more accommodative stance on M&A at the ECB nor the EU’s new recovery fund will be enough to make it happen.

The Goldman Sachs arrangement with the government of Malaysia over 1MDB only draws a line under part of the scandal. There is more to come – and questions to answer.

Agreement on dual listings positions Singapore to take advantage of US-China tensions.

The Singaporean investment company made a loss – but an impressive one in the circumstances.