By Andrei Skvarsky. U.S. asset manager Castlestone Management argues that Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the Unites States’ presidential election and a Congress split between Democrats and Republicans after recent polls will most likely give a powerful boost to American stock markets. Investment in equities normally increases after elections anyway, but, historically, having a Democratic… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Views
RenCap: Ex-Soviet Georgia’s economy making relatively quick recovery from Covid-caused crisis
The former Soviet republic of Georgia is showing a “decent” rate of recovery from the economic crisis caused by Covid-19 despite a significant decline in tourism, one of its main industries, according to analysts at investment bank Renaissance Capital. RenCap economists Sofya Donets and Andrei Melaschenko say in a report they expect the 2020 gross… Continue Reading
Reuters Events, Foss & Co. release whitepaper on tax credit investment advantages
Reuters Events and tax credit specialists Foss & Company have brought out a whitepaper advocating tax credit investing as a form of investment meeting environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. You may access the whitepaper here. Investing funds made available through tax credits is a major underused strategy but it “could enable companies to significantly… Continue Reading
RenCap: Rouble’s recent weakening predictable
Investment bank Renaissance Capital argues that the weakening of the rouble over the past few weeks has been predictable and is mainly the result of post-lockdown increases in consumption and in demand for imports and foreign currency in Russia. On July 31, the rouble hit its lowest mark in three months, dropping to a little… Continue Reading
Matrix Capital: Russia’s financial system has made quick post-Covid recovery but rest of economy still in trouble
By Andrei Skvarsky. Russian asset manager Matrix Capital says Russia’s financial markets have made a remarkably quick recovery from blows inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic but that the rest of the country’s economy remains in a “very alarming” state. “By and large, financial markets are making an unprecedentedly quick post-crisis recovery, especially if one draws… Continue Reading
EXCLUSIVE: BCS Global Markets banker: retail investment likely to boost Russia’s stock market
A senior figure at investment bank BCS Global Markets argues that Russian retail investment is likely to produce an upsurge in Russia’s stock market because of the total volume of retail deposits in Russian banks, recent interest rate cuts, low taxation, and competent advice from banks and companies. Russia’s stock market is already experiencing an… Continue Reading
Banker explains Lombard Odier’s resilience vs Covid-caused meltdowns
By Andrei Skvarsky. Swiss private banking group Lombard Odier has mainly owed its ability to stay afloat amid market meltdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic to not being listed on any stock exchange, to the focused nature of its business and to its level of capitalisation, according to one of its senior managers. Independence –… Continue Reading
RenCap expects less dramatic Russian GDP decrease than generally foreseen
By Andrei Skvarsky. Investment bank Renaissance Capital has reaffirmed its forecast that Russia’s gross domestic product for 2020 will be 2.5 per cent down on 2019, which defies the consensus forecast of a decrease of more than 4 per cent. In reiterating RenCap’s prediction, senior economist Sofya Donets made the reservation that the overall situation… Continue Reading
Energy transition means vast markets, ‘stellar’ opportunities – senior figure at Reuters Events
Energy transition, the replacement of fossil fuels by environmentally friendly renewable energy, is creating a vast global market with extensive opportunities for investment, according to an article by Owen Rolt, head of energy transition at Reuters Events. The article, “Five Predictions as We Enter the Age of the Energy Transition”, precedes Reuters Events’ planned Energy… Continue Reading
African capital markets make poor showing, and not only due to Covid – study
By Andrei Skvarsky. According to a study by economists and financial experts, African equity capital markets have generally seen a serious activity decline over the past three years because of debts built up by key African economies and slow growth shown by them. Last year African capital markets showed some of their meagrest total annual… Continue Reading
EXCLUSIVE: Russia’s Matrix Capital thinks oil may hit $42 mark by end of summer
By Andrei Skvarsky. Russian boutique asset manager Matrix Capital expects that oil prices, which have been edging up over the past few weeks, will continue to rise slowly and might reach between $40 and $42 per barrel by the end of summer. “I think we might see this price closer to the end of summer,”… Continue Reading
EXCLUSIVE: Matrix Capital says supply-demand balance keeps rouble stable
By Andrei Skvarsky. The Russian rouble owes its relative stability amid the havoc wrought by Covid-19 and low oil prices to a balance of supply and demand in the foreign exchange market, according to Russian boutique asset manager Matrix Capital. Russia’s central bank has been selling foreign currency to plug a forex market shortfall caused… Continue Reading
RenCap study: oil sells at half of what it costs to produce
Today’s global price of oil is equivalent to about half the money spent on its production by the supermajors, the world’s largest oil and gas companies, according to a study by investment bank Renaissance Capital. The current average price for Brent, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and the OPEC basket of 13 crudes is just under… Continue Reading
RenCap: Covid-19, cheap oil spell sharp economic slowdown for Sub-Saharan Africa
By Andrei Skvarsky. The Renaissance Capital investment bank has revised its 2020 annual growth forecast for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) down to 1.3 per cent from 3.5 per cent, chiefly because of the Covid-19 pandemic and plunged oil prices. The coronavirus outbreak has brought about a “demand shock”, which “implies a sharp slowdown across all SSA… Continue Reading
Russia close to financial crisis – Russian credit agency
By Andrei Skvarsky. Russia has come close to a financial crisis, Gazeta.ru and other Russian media cited Russian credit rating agency ACRA as warning. The recent collapse of OPEC-Russia talks with global oil prices plunging, the rouble dropping and the Russian stock market plummeting, and the havoc played with the world economy by the coronavirus… Continue Reading
RenCap: Russia entering time of ‘strong’, stable growth
By Andrei Skvarsky. Russian investment bank Renaissance Capital argues that Russia is entering a time of “strong” and stable economic growth and has become a country with splendid investment opportunities. “We expect growth in Russia to more than double to 2.6% YoY in 2020”, which “could surprise the markets”, RenCap economist Sofya Donets has said… Continue Reading
Uzbekistan reforms aim to build domestic capital market
By Quinn Martin, Managing Partner, Frontier.* Uzbekistan is on a roll with its economic reforms. This year alone, the country has issued a wildly successful debut Eurobond, kicked off an ambitious privatisation program, lifted restrictions on repatriation of corporate profits and floated its currency, thus eliminating a troublesome dual exchange rate system. Investors – both… Continue Reading
Samtrade FX broker hires investor and analyst Derick Tan as senior adviser
By Andrei Skvarsky. Trader, investor and market analyst Derick Tan, founder of two Singaporean companies, has been hired as a senior adviser by Samtrade FX, a foreign exchange broker mainly active in Asia. Samtrade FX appointed Tan as a member of the board of advisers and “brand ambassador”, according to a statement from the Vanuatu-based… Continue Reading
Digital banking forum likely to help Africa-eyeing investors
Changes brought about by digitisation have ushered in a new era of competition in banking, and attending the Digital Banking Summit (DBS) in Accra on August 19-20 may help banks and fintechs to stay competitive in doing business in Africa, a continent that is an increasingly popular destination for investors. You would be told about… Continue Reading
UPDATE – Wimbledon debenture tickets good investment vehicles – Sun Global CEO
By Andrei Skvarsky. Wimbledon debentures, expensive elite season passes for the world’s main tennis tournament, have become a lucrative form of investment due to their eligibility for resale with returns that may exceed 100 per cent, according to the CEO of London’s Sun Global Investments asset manager. Debentures, which are resaleable for specific days or… Continue Reading
Insurance Nexus: Machine learning, AI to have main impact on claims services in next 5 years
A survey by event organiser Insurance Nexus suggests that more than half of claims executives in insurance companies worldwide believe that machine learning and artificial intelligence will have the greatest impact on claims services in the next five years. Continue Reading
Lebanon’s Bank Audi says Nexmo’s WhatsApp solution enables it to improve customer service
By Andrei Skvarsky. Lebanon-based Bank Audi has adopted a device developed by US technology company Nexmo to maintain direct contact with customers through WhatsApp, an increasingly popular means of communication worldwide. Continue Reading
More Russians declare foreign assets since Russia joined CRS but over one-third still keep them secret – survey
By Andrei Skvarsky. More Russians have been notifying Russian authorities of money in foreign banks and foreign-based businesses since Russia joined a pact on international exchanges of tax-related information, a survey shows. Continue Reading
Legacy issues main hurdle to global hi-tech insurance innovation – survey
By Andrei Skvarsky. Unresolved issues originating in outdated business organisation systems are the main hurdle faced by insurance companies worldwide in trying to put their business on a high-tech basis, a survey suggests. Continue Reading
Lombard Odier forecasts 2 per cent growth for euro zone in 2019
By Andrei Skvarsky. Swiss private bank Lombard Odier has released a generally optimistic 2019 forecast for the euro zone, predicting 2 per cent economic growth for it and arguing that its economy is in a position to offset potential political and trade headwinds. Continue Reading
Impact investing is often more profitable than traditional investing – survey
By Andrei Skvarsky. Impact investing, besides social and environmental benefits, its raison d’etre, quite often involves business advantages over conventional investing, a survey suggests. Continue Reading
Insurance Nexus poll: Most insurers see customer profiling as no. 1 task
By Andrei Skvarsky. As insurance companies worldwide seek to provide clients with bespoke rather than standard products, nearly three quarters of insurers see customer profiling as the key to success, according to a survey by the Insurance Nexus events company. Continue Reading
Payger, Net Element clinch deal said to offer shoppers new crypto payment facilities
By Andrei Skvarsky. Electronic payments companies Payger and Net Element, the former based in Munich and the latter in Miami, announced a partnership deal last week that, according to the two firms, offers retail shoppers wider opportunities to pay in cryptocurrencies. Continue Reading
RenCap forecasts a rough 2019 but a glittering 2020 for Russia
By Andrei Skvarsky. Investment bank Renaissance Capital believes the Russian economy will remain on last year’s downward course in 2019 but will be very much on the rise again in 2020. Continue Reading