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Financial Services Sector Research Highlights

The Report: Qatar 2024
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Banking Sector Analysis

Qatar’s banks have withstood recent global and regional uncertainties, leaving them in a strong position for further growth. The sector’s banks stand to benefit from the Third National Development Strategy for...

The Report: Indonesia 2024
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Banking Sector Analysis

Indonesia’s banking sector is large, complex and profitable, driven by a population of nearly 280m people, the fourth largest in the world. However, a significant portion of the population remains unbanked...

Bahrain, a centre for sustainable finance and innovation in the GCC

Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Helaissi, Group CEO and Member of the Board, Gulf International Bank (GIB)

In this Global Platform video, Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Helaissi, Group CEO and Member of the Board, Gulf International Bank (GIB), talks about Bahrain's banking sector, a significant contributor to...

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Development Bank Ghana: 2023 Highlights

Special Reports on the Financial Services Sector
Cash Transformation Report

Report: How has public-private collaboration boosted digital and cash transformation in the Bahamas?

Public-private collaboration aimed at boosting digital payments and reducing cash usage in the Bahamas has made gains in a relatively short timeframe. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, policymakers...
ESG Intelligence Report

Report: The financial sector's central role in tackling ESG issues in Mexico

Environmental, social and governance issues are a growing focus in Mexico, particularly social inclusion and transparency, followed by other governance and environmental matters. The financial sector has...
ESG Intelligence Report

Report: The future of sustainable finance in Kuwait’s banking sector

The regulatory landscape for Gulf financial service providers is changing, with growing awareness of the need for banking institutions to adopt sustainable finance frameworks and responsible lending...
Focus Report

Focus Report: Post-pandemic trends and opportunities on African stock exchanges

Although stock exchanges on the continent were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, recovery is starting to take shape. The crisis underlined the need to build resilience and diversify the investor base...

Report: How has public-private collaboration boosted digital and cash transformation in the Bahamas?
Report: The financial sector's central role in tackling ESG issues in Mexico
Report: The future of sustainable finance in Kuwait’s banking sector
Focus Report: Post-pandemic trends and opportunities on African stock exchanges
 

Kuwait's banks target sustainable growth

In this Growth Perspectives video, OBG shows how Kuwaiti banks are embracing environmental, social and governance principles to contribute to the sustainable growth of the banking sector...

Increasing the accessibility of trading in Kuwait and the GCC

Talal Al Ajmi, CEO and Founder, VI Markets

In this Global Platform video, Talal Al Ajmi, CEO and Founder, VI Markets, talks about increasing the accessibility of trading. Financial markets have experienced significant changes compared to before the...

Financial Sector Analyses

Overview

Indonesia's banking sector reforms boost growth and inclusion
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Indonesia has a large, complex and profitable banking sector. At close to 280m, Indonesia’s population is the fourth largest in the world, and the percentage of the population that are unbanked and underbanked is amongst the highest globally. This has caused significant socio-economic challenges, and a lack of digital infrastructure in the country’s more remote areas exacerbated the issue during the Covid-19 pandemic. In response, the government has unveiled a major reform package designed to modernise and consolidate...

Analysis

Digital payment platforms grow with high demand in emerging markets
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View Article in Online Reader FacebookTwitterLinkedInShare Despite the ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds experienced by the global economy, one area of the international financial system that has shown steady progression is digital payments. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, they have been spurred by a jump in remittance flows, greater availability of digital infrastructure and services, and higher consumer demand for fast and seamless non-physical transactions...

Overview

Streamlined processes, diversification encourage FDI in Qatar
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Qatar’s bid to enhance its reputation as an international investment destination gathered significant momentum during the country’s preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The changes made to investment-related legislation in recent years are expected to lead to Qatar continuing its upward trajectory in terms of its ability to attract international investment now that the tournament is in the past. Meanwhile, Qatar’s natural gas reserves – the country was the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2022...

Interview

Sheikh Ali Al Waleed Al Thani, CEO, Investment Promotion Agency (Invest Qatar)
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On leveraging cooperation and competitive advantages to attract foreign investment

Overview

Qatar banking growth due to prudent governance, innovative strategies
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Well provisioned and supervised, Qatar’s banks have withstood recent global and regional uncertainties, leaving them in a strong position for further growth. The sector’s banks stand to benefit from the country’s new strategic vision – the Third National Development Strategy (NDS-3) for 2024-30, which prioritises financial services in Qatar’s future development and diversification. Meanwhile, the sector is embracing digitalisation, financial technology (fintech) adoption, and a host of new banking methods and services.

Interview

Abdulla Mubarak Al Khalifa, Group CEO, QNB
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On regional banking trends and sector consolidation

Overview

Why Qatar capital markets have positive outlook
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Qatari capital markets have undergone significant development in recent years, with the relevant government agencies united in the drive to see the emerging market advance further up the global economic rankings. While the performance of the country’s stock exchange has fluctuated of late, the strong fiscal performance, and timely regulatory, banking-capital-protection and systems updates – including the implementation of a series of initiatives designed to boost liquidity and investor confidence – see Qatar’s...

Analysis

GCC IPO pipeline, performance optimism
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As governments in the region continue to push for privatisation, the GCC is set to see continued strong performance in initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2024. The total number of IPOs in the region decreased marginally from 48 in 2022 to 46 in 2023 – still well above the 20 recorded in 2021. Proceeds from GCC issuers totalled $10.8bn in 2023, compared to almost $23bn the year before. The growing number of successful IPOs in the region has resulted in greater interest from investors. Following record activity in the UAE and...

The Report: Ghana 2024
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Financial Services Sector Analysis

The Domestic Debt Exchange Programme that launched at the end of 2022 has helped stabilise inflation. This is expected to foster sustainable growth, injecting optimism into the sector and the overall economy...

Boosting investment in Kuwait’s capital markets

In this Growth Perspectives video, OBG shows how Boursa Kuwait has introduced reforms and launched new investment tools to support the development of the capital markets. The surge in market...

Financial Services in Emerging Markets

Economic View

Kwabena Asante-Poku, Coverage Director, Ghana - British International Investment (BII)

On increasing finance for SMEs, women-led businesses and infrastructure development in Africa

Economic View

Julian Opuni, Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Ghana

On the country’s commitment to inclusive finance

Economic News

Climate risk is reshaping the insurance sector in emerging markets
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With the launch of a new joint initiative to support the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change, the global insurance industry is evolving in ways that could carry important implications for business in emerging markets. The Global Shield against Climate Risks (GSCR) was announced by the ministers of finance of the so-called Vulnerable Twenty Group (V20) and the G7 after the COP27 UN Conference on Climate Change in Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt in November last year. It seeks to address weaknesses...

Economic News

Digital financial inclusion is reshaping payments in Côte d’Ivoire
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Already a regional standout in terms of growth and investment inflows, Côte d’Ivoire is striving to become a pioneer in digital financial inclusion. The West African country saw key indices rebound swiftly following the Covid-19 pandemic, with GDP growth reaching 7% in 2021, returning to pre-pandemic levels following a drop to 1.7% in 2020. Growth is set to remain strong, estimated at 6.7% in 2022 and projected to reach 6.2% in 2023, according to the IMF. Coupled with robust investment inflows over the past decade, the country...

Economic News

Emerging markets invest in film media to extend their global reach
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As GCC countries look to harness new forms of financial technology (fintech) such as blockchain, deepen their financial services and expand financial inclusion, governments are embracing decentralised finance (DeFi) and are working to attract cryptocurrency companies to the region. In DeFi – peer-to-peer financial services with no central authority or intermediary involved in trading, lending, investing and other activities – GCC countries see the opportunity to diversify their economies and embrace Web3 technologies...

Economic News

How digital banking is transforming access to finance in Latin America and the Caribbean
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Despite wider economic challenges such as inflation and supply chain disruptions, digital banks and neobanks are continuing to attract new customers and accelerate financial inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean. Neobanks use apps, software and other technologies to operate exclusively through digital platforms. They are usually limited to bank accounts and cards because they often lack credit institution licences, while digital banks offer the full suite of traditional banking services online...

Economic News

Could better reporting bolster ESG funds in emerging markets?
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As financial markets experience significant headwinds in 2022, environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds saw their first net outflow since 2011. However, the energy transition, climate-related threats to food security and the search for long-term value could prompt a resurgence of sustainable investment in emerging markets. After global ESG funds enjoyed a record run from 2019 to 2021, growing by 98% and seeing net inflows of $25bn in 2020 and $35bn in 2021, net outflow from ESG funds in 2022...

Economic News

Emerging Market Trends 2022: Payment Solutions
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Even as the global economy grapples with inflation, supply chain constraints and high commodity prices, new payment solutions are helping billions in emerging markets access and deploy much-needed capital. Driven by a decline in cash payments during the Covid-19 pandemic, digital payments skyrocketed in line with the growth in e-commerce, as the financial technology (fintech) sector expanded to provide consumers with a wider variety of payment options. The growth of digital payments has been strongest...

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