Indonesia has had a great 2017 with a well-performing economy. Inflation, albeit under the target of six percent, is stable at just over five. Standard&Poor has upgraded Indonesia’s government bonds to investment grade in May, the last major rating agencies to do so. Indonesia’s major commodities, crude oil, coal, and gas has increased by 44,…
Private equity (PE) activity in India has reached a record high in 2017, with US$24.7 billion being deployed across 639 deals. An improving macroeconomic environment, coupled with greater regulatory certainty, has led to PE funds becoming more aggressive in their investments. The average deal size surged to US$42.8 billion, representing a 50 percent year-on-year increase.…
In recent years, the notion that emerging markets should seek to emulate the practices of high-income countries has been slowly discredited and nowhere does this ring truer than when it comes to the developed world’s approach to mental health. While we may concede that there have been a few exceptions (Google’s ‘massage credits’ and Apple’s…
Since the win of Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno in the Jakarta election of 2017, many Indonesians are beginning to be concerned that the populist movement, combined with a strengthened grip of Muslim traditionalists in politics, and an increasing number of ex-army generals taking part in the upcoming regional elections in July 2018, [1] will…
Traditionally, Latin America has been perceived as an attractive destination for investment, supported by a growing middle-class population, low labour costs, and an abundance of natural resources. Despite these opportunities for growth, the region has been plagued with economic sluggishness and fears of populist nationalism resurging. Between 2000 and 2015, Latin American economies have…
When Satoshi Nakamoto invented Bitcoin, his vision was that Bitcoin’s growth could be unfettered by central bank and government oversight as well as the effects of inflation. Cryptocurrencies do not rely on central banks as they are traded digitally and can be transferred globally, allowing traders to avoid currency controls. [1] Nakamoto would be pleased,…
Advancements in science and technology are pivotal to Africa’s growth trajectory in order to generate significant economic and human capital. In a time of great change such as now, the timeline of future technology largely promising and “the science community believes STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) is the greatest value to man”. Yet as the…
Over the past months, eastern and southern African countries have been hit by some of the most severe droughts in recorded history. With estimates of over 11 million people effected in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia alone, the effects of climatic conditions on agricultural productivity are conspicuous. Despite the current magnitude, strong fluctuations in climatic conditions…
In a bid to secure access to long-term energy supplies and other raw materials to sustain industralisation and production, China has turned to Africa. A region traditionally characterised by high political and security risks, Africa has enjoyed relatively unrecognized economic growth at an average of about six percent over the last decade. [1] In comparison…
The eve of China’s nineteenth party congress brought promising news for Chinese fintech: Qudian, a new loan and microlending platform for consumer and small business, jumped twenty-two percentage points during its IPO debut on the New York Stock Exchange. [1] The company generated $900 million (USD) in its initial offering, demonstrating that investors see a…