Mark Townsend, Author at Global Finance Magazine

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News

Iran Elections Stir Optimism

<strong>Milestones | Iran</strong><br /> A strong showing by moderates in February’s elections to Iran’s parliament and assembly of experts (the constitutional body that appoints and dismisses the supreme leader) has boosted prospects for the Islamic republic’s reintegration into the global economy and reassured foreign investors that reforms will continue.

News

Islamic Finance | Bridging The Digital Divide

Islamic banking assets in the Middle East are growing, and opportunities abound for Islamic banks to participate in the digital banking revolution, but efforts so far are falling short of customer expectations.

News

Managing Amid Uncertainty: Hashim Shawa, Bank Of Palestine

The Bank of Palestine traces its roots back to 1960. Political upheaval has punctuated the bank’s operating environment since its founding. The bank’s chairman and general manager shares his experiences with Global Finance.

Banking

Sovereign Wealth Funds: The Ultimate Guessing Game

Changing fortunes in the region’s oil-rich economies have made the secretive world of sovereign wealth fund asset allocation even more opaque.

News

Is Singapore Headed For Recession?

Singapore could face a technical recession in the first half of this year as plunging oil prices and a drop in China’s appetite for imports weigh on the city-state’s economy.

Banking

Cutting The Cord In Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is the Gulf Cooperation Council’s largest economy, but major economic, political and social challenges threaten the kingdom’s immediate economic future. Reducing its dependence on oil and gas is now a case of when, not if.

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

Investors Eye Irans Economic Comeback

The prospect of the lifting of economic sanctions against Iran has investors excited about the return of this market to the global economic community. But the message is: Proceed with caution.

Banking

New Reality In The Gulf: Austerity

Nations slash subsidies in the face of cheap oil and regional conflicts.

Emerging & Frontier Markets

Vietnam Shrugs Off Global Woes

Vietnam is emerging as one of the few bright spots among Southeast Asian economies buffeted by the slowdown in regional and global trade.

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

Suez Canal: Egyptian Economy Will See A Bump-upBut How Big?

At a lavish ceremony last month, the Egyptian government inaugurated the new Suez Canal, marking an expansion of the original project, which dates to 1869.

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

GCC Sees Its Future In Trade

GCC Regional Report 2015 | Trade GCC With oil prices not expected to top $100 a barrel anytime soon, breaking down trade barriers is the one sure way to boost the GCC’s economic prospects.

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

MERS Outbreak Threatens South Korea’s Economy

Trends | Economy & Disease In May, South Korea reported its first case of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). The death toll had climbed to 24 as we went to press, making it the largest outbreak outside of Saudi Arabia, where the strain was first reported in 2012.