Mobile banking services present a unique growth opportunity for mobile operators in emerging markets, and have already made good progress in bringing financial services to the previously unbanked populations of many developing countries. The GSM Association reckons that there are over 60 million people worldwide accessing financial services, and this number is set to keep [Read more...]

Having lagged much of the global rally that kicked off in March 2009, Sub-Saharan African equity markets are at long last beginning to perk up. Interestingly, the major markets are also moving with a much greater degree of correlation than in previous years, suggesting that they are creeping onto the collective radar of international investors.

On [Read more...]

Risk Watchdog is not shy about promoting his views to anyone who will listen. Yesterday, I had the opportunity yesterday to talk to a group of potential exporters to East Africa at an event organised by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and hosted by Barclays, about why I and my colleagues at Business [Read more...]

Regular readers of RiskWatchdog will recall that back in July, I flagged up the upside potential of several sub-Saharan African currencies. At that time, the units looked well-positioned to appreciate, thanks to rising global risk appetite, bullish technical patterns and the high yields on offer. I am pleased to say that this view has played [Read more...]

In line with my view of a renewed bounce in the US dollar (which is playing out really nicely, by the way), I believe that the recent gains of some sub-Saharan African currencies could be rather short-lived. Indeed, over at businessmonitor.com, I have been highlighting the potential for a rally in the Kenyan shilling, which [Read more...]