Turkey is Struggling but So What
Like a prized fighter, Turkey and President Erdoğan fight on…
Ecuador and Argentina: An Unfair Comparison for the Nicer Ecuador
Ecuador is not a jaded lover when it comes to the international markets. It is doing all it can to reach a quick restructuring deal with its creditors…
Ukraine and Belarus: Familial Histories But Different Personalities (or Market Participants)
We all know two siblings that are very different. As the saying goes, siblings share genes but rarely personalities. A similar view on Belarus and Ukraine can rightfully be applied. Although not exactly siblings, the two countries share a familial history…
Brazil and Covid-19: Don’t Necessarily Vote Against Bolsonaro
Understanding President Bolsonaro’s response to covid-19 within the greater scheme of Brazil’s economy…
Coronavirus: Chance to improve exposed weaknesses of Africa’s banking system
COVID-19 has disrupted the global economy with the uprooting of supply chains. The decades-long, single-minded focus on optimising supply chains helped the world minimize costs, reduce inventory, and boost asset utilisation…
Ghana: Debt repayments greater than health or education spending
Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to ease restrictions when it lifted lockdown measures on 20 April. The country’s Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta argued the 21-day lockdown of Ghana’s biggest cities had become financially unbearable for most of the population, a concern that gave the government little choice but to lift the restriction…
Going Against The Grain: Early Bets On A Few African Countries
An investor called me and asked, “One question for you, where would you take a risk in Africa today?” The COVID-19 crisis has the globe in a massive selloff, creating significant dislocation in the capital markets. But what does this mean for Africa’s private markets…
Coronavirus in Africa: an opportunity for innovative investment
The last couple months can only be characterized as unprecedented, as many countries and markets went from indifference of the pandemic to visible panic. In many emerging markets, the flight of capital coupled with slowed investments has further complicated fragile situations. Yet these unexpected and difficult times still present opportunity for investment…
Coronavirus: Will a price war force change in Angola?
The impact and longevity of COVID-19 and low commodity prices are putting acute pressure on African economies and pushing some sovereigns close to default. Besides Zambia, which has already begun the process to potentially hire an advisor for a sovereign restructuring, Angola is becoming the country with the highest risk for a potential debt restructuring…
