Saudi banks will cut their bad loan ratio to the lowest since the region’s biggest corporate default three years ago as lending grows on the back of government spending, according to Moody’s Investors Service. The ratio of non-performing loans at Saudi lenders will drop to about 2.5 per cent this year, the lowest since at least 2009, Khalid Howladar, a …

More than 75 per cent of private investors believe that the eurozone will survive its crisis, according to a J.P. Morgan Private Bank study revealing the views of High Net Worth investors in Europe, who were asked for their opinions on current market conditions and risk appetite. The study polled more than 300 High Net Worth investors in 15 cities …

MENA is now looking favourably at SWIFT’s Bank Payment Obligation. LIZ SALECKA considers its advantages. While SWIFT’s Bank Payment Obligation (BPO) has attracted significant interest in Asia, a positive picture is also emerging in the Middle East, where it is poised to provide a viable alternative to both open account trade and letters of credit. The recent BPO deal, between …

Trade finance income has risen in the UAE thanks to a resurgence of exports and imports. CAROLINE MAGINN, trade partner at CMM, looks at what has been a most impressive performance from the banking sector With a majority of reporting banks posting figures far in excess of AED 100 million, trade fees and commissions rose by an average of seven …

A new law in Saudi Arabia will be a game changer for the housing finance and real estate development market and will propel Islamic finance to the next level in the Kingdom. MUSHTAK PARKER explains Judging by the burgeoning number of transactions successfully closed and the utterings of senior officials and bankers in Saudi Arabia this year, it is easy …

The Dealogic Trade Finance Review for the first half of 2012 shows that trade finance volumes were up seven per cent on the same period for the previous year Total global trade finance volume stood at $90.4bn in 1H 2012, up seven per cent from $84.5bn in 1H 2011, though down slightly on 2H 2011 ($96.1bn). However, activity fell to …

Islamic finance is one of the world’s fastest-growing asset classes. However, a number of barriers are currently preventing the sector reaching its full potential – particularly the lack of a uniform set of rules and regulations for Sharia compliance, says CARSTEN KAYATZ, senior product manager for financial institutions at Commerzbank Contemporary Islamic banking has its origins in Egypt. The first …

Banks are pausing for thought after the latest controversy regarding sanctions concerning Iran. PAUL MELLY reports If in doubt, stay out. That’s likely to be the watchword in future for banks wondering whether there is a legitimate means of serving customers linked to a country that is the subject of international sanctions. This summer saw the New York State Department …

Moving away from traditional means of financing and working in partnership with lenders will lead to more sustainable avenues of funding. This is the view of Natrajan Ramsubramani, director, head of corporate product management, MENA, Standard Chartered Bank The financial crisis began as the sub-prime crisis in the United States and has now assumed much larger proportions as the European …

Trade Finance for Bankers Course Identifying Themes, Trends and Tactics in Trade Finance is vital in enhancing the share of wallet of this important business for banks. The market developments have rendered this business more and more difficult for bankers, which is why we need to refresh the way we assess and analyze it. This program will discuss these three …

Dear Reader, MENA corporates are on the move. They are expanding both regionally and internationally to diversify and grow their businesses, giving rise to an increased focus on how they manage their treasury operations, and the technology and systems they put in place. At the same time, their choice of banks has become all the more crucial as they seek …

More than 450 leaders in the international Islamic banking and finance industry engaged in critical discussions on strengthening international industry connectivity in order to enable further growth for Islamic finance in Asia. They were speaking at the third annual World Islamic Banking Conference: Asia Summit in Singapore. The global Islamic finance industry has over the past decade witnessed a transition …

Standard Chartered Bank has announced the expansion of its regional custody coverage for investors and intermediaries from its MENA regional hub in the Dubai International Financial Centre. The service now covers more than 40 markets across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East along with a few select countries from other regions, making it, says the bank, the most comprehensive regional …

New research has found that banks in some of the world’s fastest-growing emerging markets are struggling to keep up with changing customer expectations, particularly in multi-channel areas such as social media and mobility. The research, undertaken by Celent on behalf of SunGard, consisted of two surveys of more than 1,000 consumers and 100 banks in eight countries across the Middle …

Standard Chartered Bank has facilitated the first end-to-end automated trade finance transaction with the Bank Payment Obligation (BPO) through its Straight2Bank platform. It was carried out between BP’s petrochemicals business for Oman-Based OCTAL and a global leader in the packaging industry. This transaction heralds a new era of greater efficiency and paperless trade settlement. Launched by SWIFT, the BPO is …

A leading alternative financier remains on-track to achieve a target $5bn gross turnover within the next three years, says chairman Kamel Alzarka. Falcon Group – based in London and the Middle East – achieved record post-tax profit in excess of $27.5m in 2011-2012 – an increase of more than $7m compared with the previous year. The figure represents the fourth …