Colombia stands on the brink of a peace deal with the FARC rebels, while its economy, buoyed by cycles of strong foreign investment levels and rising GDP growth, looks set to only get stronger. President Juan Manuel Santos tells Silvia Pavoni why the country's future looks brighter than ever.
Trade finance is emerging as a key part of the Latin American banking business model and is bound to be a hot topic on the agenda at this year's Felaban annual meeting being held in Colombia in November. Ahead of this, The Banker speaks to experts about the challenges and opportunities that this growing business line is creating in the Latin American market.
Having revelled in the economic growth that characterised the past few years, Brazil's banks are now struggling to adapt to a less favourable environment. In response to stalling gross domestic product and disposable income growth, many lenders are curbing their lending, leaving gaps, particularly in the small and medium-sized enterprise segment, for other players to step in.
A controversial US ruling against Argentina has shaken the world of sovereign debt restructuring and provided so-called vulture funds with a sharp new litigation strategy. As both multilateral organisations and private sector professionals attempt to stop a lawsuit pandemic, The Banker takes an in-depth look at the key issues.
London retains its title as the top international finance centre in the world, although New York’s stock market capitalisation is almost four times that of the UK capital. Meanwhile, Johannesburg has made the most dramatic of advances up the rankings, jumping 18 places to rank 17th.
Contracting growth in Italy since the beginning of the year has dampened any optimism for good first-half results at the country’s largest banks, after record losses in 2013. Although lenders have largely cleaned up their balance sheets, the credit quality of smaller businesses remains a problem.
The financial crisis hit the Caribbean hard, with the region only recently starting to recover. Now that the worst is over, the president of the Caribbean Development Bank is looking to build a more sustainable future, encouraging projects that minimise the effects of natural disasters and develop the region's renewable energy potential.
Caribbean lenders seem to be finally emerging from a difficult few years, with both aggregate Tier 1 capital and assets rising. Profitability remains largely unchanged, however, with some banks making significant gains while others remain in the red.
Trinidad and Tobago finance minister Larry Howai tells Silvia Pavoni about his plans for the country's international finance centre, and explains why its improving legislative framework and educated workforce make the country stand out from its Caribbean peers.
The governor of Trinidad and Tobago's central bank, Jwala Rambarran, has overseen a hectic period in which the country has considerably tightened its supervision procedures, sought to clarify the role of its international finance centre and developed its capital markets. He tells Silvia Pavoni how improving financial inclusion is his next priority.