Banking & Finance

South Korea’s President announces $18 billion support package for micro businesses

The government will expand access to low-interest loans for micro business owners and extend the repayment period for policy loans

South Korean government allocates $17.9 billion for R&D budget for 2025

The ministry will allocate 3.5 trillion won to AI chips, advanced biotech, and quantum tech

South Korea’s overseas assets reach new high of $1.911 trillion

External financial assets reached $1.911 trillion at the end of December last year

Chinese financial sector sees 8.5 percent increase in total assets, reaching $66.93 trillion

The assets of the banking sector reached 429.58 trillion yuan, up 8.1 percent YoY

BRICS actively working on national currencies’ payment platform, says Russian FM

BRICS meeting to discuss international relations, conflict resolution and interaction in leading multilateral platforms

Cash losing ground to digital payment solutions in Latin America: Report

In just two years, debit cards have surpassed cash as the preferred payment option among Spanish-speaking Latin Americans

U.S. banks’ profits surge 79.5 percent to $64.2 billion in Q1 2024

Non-interest income of U.S. banks saw a 15.2 percent increase, up $10.3 billion

India to buy back $4.81 billion worth of government bonds: RBI

Last week, the central bank accepted bids to buy back 52.7 billion rupees worth of bonds

Japan maintains global top creditor status, net external assets reach record $3 trillion

This growth was driven by a weaker yen and overseas corporate acquisitions, which boosted the value of Japan's foreign assets

Use quantitative easing carefully, urges ECB official

ECB officials recently agreed a new framework for how to run policy in the future

Profits of China’s major industrial firms rise 4.3 percent to $288.49 billion in first four months of 2024

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics reported that this growth rate was the same as that registered in the first quarter

China’s fiscal revenue down 2.7 percent in first four months of 2024, expenditure up 3.5 percent

For April alone, fiscal revenue fell 3.7 percent against a 2.4 percent decline in March

Stress in home loans manageable despite high rates: ECB

ECB's review shows lenders were not adequately weighing up risks before granting a mortgage

South Korea, Asian Development Bank sign $2 billion agreement to support development projects

The cofinancing will support projects that include climate change, transportation, energy, agriculture, ICT

FDI into U.K.’s financial services sector declines 50 percent: Report

Asset management emerged as the sector attracting the largest sources of FDI

Hedge fund industry sees $190 billion asset growth in Q1, hits record $4.3 trillion

The industry attracted $16.6 billion in new investments, with a focus on equity and event-driven hedge fund strategies

IMF prepared to assist Sri Lanka in talks with bondholders

Sri Lanka government failed to restructure $12 billion debt with bondholders

EIB approves $4.57 billion for business, climate action and energy across Europe

EIB signed €88 billion in new financing for over 900 projects in 2023

Visa’s CEMEA President Andrew Torre on getting ready for the next wave of digital disruption

Businesses need to be agile, adapt their strategies and invest in digital infrastructure

The World Bank: MENA can be an engine for change, partner for sustainable future

Region must tackle important structural reform agenda to ensure peace and stability

Andrew Torre on Visa’s financial inclusion of small businesses, latest campaign

Torre highlights three examples from the Visa Impact Series Campaign that changed the lives of not only entrepreneurs but also their partners and customers