For decades, oil and gas investors in Africa have focused on exploiting the riches of the continent’s established producers Nigeria, Angola, Libya and Algeria. In recent years, however, spurred on by large discoveries offshore Ghana and in the Lake Albert region in Uganda, the industry has been looking beyond the traditional oil markets to a… [Read more]
At long last, the Iraq War appears to be over. The US has been winding down its troop presence in Iraq for many months now, and will have reduced this to 50,000 by the end of August from a peak of 170,000 at the height of the ‘surge’ against the insurgency there in 2007. Under… [Read more]
Massive capital inflows across South America raise the spectre that authorities throughout the region are about to impose capital controls. Support for exporters appears to be the main reason for such intervention, but fears over a rapid withdrawal of ‘hot money’ in the event of another ‘double-dip’ also appear to be a factor. Risk Watchdog… [Read more]
On Friday, August 6, Business Monitor International’s Head of Research Terry Alexander guest hosted Closing Bell Europe. Key points of discussion included the latest Eurozone GDP releases and asset class strategies amid a rallying bond market.
On this week’s Business Monitor Podcast, we continue our theme of ‘top emerging market picks’ with a focus on Latin America. BMI’s Head of Country Risk and Financial Markets Justin Patrie discusses the region with Head of Latin America Analysis Richard Hamilton and Latin America Analyst Martha Stickings. Specific countries discussed include Colombia, Brazil, Panama… [Read more]
Industrial commodities such as energy and base metals are highly correlated to risk appetite and hence equity markets. Below I highlight the monthly rolling correlation between Brent crude and the Dow Jones. The two main things to note are that first, on a monthly basis, the correlation stands at 0.9 (which implies a strong and… [Read more]
Tensions have been rising in the South China Sea of late, and these are threatening to put strains on China’s relations with South East Asia and the US. Essentially, China has reiterated its long-standing claims over the whole of the South China Sea, including the Spratly and Paracel islands. Unsurprisingly, this sovereignty assertion is disputed… [Read more]
