GTR Magazine - Sept/Oct 2008
GTR Magazine: Sept/Oct 2008
EBRD takes on Mongolian risk
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has extended its risk cover to Mongolia, under its trade facilitation programme.
Drawing together the physical and financial supply chains
GTR brought together 10 well-known faces in the world of supply chain finance (SCF) ahead of Swift’s annual Sibos conference to discuss trends and market challenges. Participants included those from the banking world as well as from software suppliers. The discussion covered whether banks have really been able to achieve the full integration of physical and financial supply chains, as well as the role of third party software providers, and the impact of the credit crunch on demand for SCF solutions.
The readers speak
GTR readers have voted their favourite trade services and supply chain providers in a record return of voting forms this year. Some categories see a change on last year, although there is still a consistent hierarchy of leading firms.
We saw record voting this year for our online readers’ poll of best trade services and supply chain providers. We introduced a new category to the voting too – the best supply chain platform. Demica, Global Supply Chain Finance and PrimeRevenue all vied for the top spot, with Demica managing to take the lead.
Asia increases SCF appetite
Two leading players in Asia’s trade services market, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank, discuss with Justin Pugsley supply chain finance’s (SCF) progress in the region.
Technology digs deeper into trade services
Technology vendors in the trade services space continue to evolve and anticipate their clients’ needs. However, the real story over the last year is more about how those solutions are being used by banks and corporates. Justin Pugsley reports.
Financial logistics in the supply chain
Alexander Braun at SEB takes a look at how banks can contribute to realising a company’s supply chain strategy.
In the middle of a chain reaction
As the old saying goes 'if it can go wrong, it will’. With international business increasingly reliant on multi-faceted and complex supply chains, managing the financial and reputational implications of disruption to the supply chain should be high on any board’s agenda and a major factor in evaluating trade finance.
Credit crisis looms over fragile economy
As the credit crunch has bedded down in OECD markets, credit insurers are closely monitoring the spread of risk into emerging markets, where inflation is seen as a key risk, writes Kevin Godier.
Urgent calls for funding as power supplies dry up
Equipment delays, stubbornly low tariffs and rapid industrialisation are fuelling a massive gap between power supply and demand in much of the emerging world – and nowhere more than in Africa and Asia, writes Helen Castell.
Making a market out of thin air
Few true carbon credit trade finance deals have come to market. But as supporting infrastructure falls into place, this could change, writes Erika Morphy.
Unlocking capacity for microfinance
Standard Chartered has launched its first-ever issuance of credit notes backed by microfinance loans made in emerging markets in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The development has created an asset class out of microfinance transactions. Rebecca Spong examines the deal, and finds out what it means for the future of the microfinance sector.
Kenya is back on track
Following the political turmoil of last year, Kenya has stabilised, and its economy and that of the wider East African region is showing some promise. But it will need to tackle its lack of infrastructure, fragmented agricultural sector and regional trade barriers before its market for soft commodities can really flourish, writes Zoe Alsop from Nairobi.
Maghreb infrastructure must draw in new money
Led by Algeria, North Africa’s infrastructure needs have become a key focus for external finance and insurance, writes Kevin Godier.
Booming Latin biofuels pulls ahead of bust in US
The biofuels sector in Latin America, particularly Brazil, continues to attract investment, even though enthusiasm for financing alternative fuels in the US starts to wane due to both political and economic pressures, writes Ted Kim in New York.
