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For decades, countries worldwide — and particularly in Asia — have experienced huge rewards from globalisation. Trade has boosted economies and livelihoods, helping to pull millions out of poverty. However, that trajectory may be at risk. The 2023 Hinrich-IMD Sustainable Trade Index notes signs of what it calls “slowbalisation”, linked to heightened geopolitical tensions, increasingly protectionist trade...
We’ve partnered with industry leaders CUR8, UNDO and British Airways in a first-of-its-kind debt financing pilot. In December, we partnered with industry leaders to help create a blueprint to provide debt financing for carbon removals. The pilot, which is the first of its kind, aims to ease carbon removals suppliers’ reliance on bespoke financing structures,...
A hotter-than-expected US inflation report for January has raised doubts about the chances of early Fed rate cuts, interrupting the US equity rally and boosting the USD. There are elements of the report that need to be watched closely, notably the continued uptrend in services inflation. However, it is too soon to conclude that this...
A New Year is always a time to reflect on the previous year, what we might learn from it and then apply these learnings going forward. What better time for reflection than now, as we usher in the Year of the Dragon, considered one of the most auspicious creatures in the Chinese zodiac. The mythical...
US stocks have scaled record highs this year. However, there is a wide dispersion in performance among the various equity sectors. The leading sectors, which include technology, communication services, are backed by their record of delivering strong earnings and revenue growth. We expect this earnings outperformance to continue this year. We also like the healthcare...
Get the inside story on the latest wealth management trends with a brand new podcast series from Standard Chartered Private Bank. In each episode, we’re joined by expert guests who share their specialist insights with radio presenter host Chloe Tilley. We talk about helping wealthy individuals establish a footprint in the UK and highlight the...
Rates outlook has made corporates cautious, but it may have been overdone. SC’s analysis of 900+ large global corporates across 18 sectors examines further. Indebtedness remains in check: Leverage stable notwithstanding rate increases Despite increasing interest rates, our analysis of the largest publicly listed companies across 18 sectors suggests balance sheets did not take a...
In 2015, the United Nations set 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), driving towards a more sustainable world by 2030 (1). Sustainable and transparent supply chain solutions for businesses and consumers are crucial in achieving this brighter future. A sustainable supply chain upholds environmentally and socially sustainable practices, with the aim of protecting the environment and...
The effects of climate change means industries must change the way they think The impact of climate change is becoming increasingly threatening, demanding that organisations innovate and accelerate towards a more sustainable future. Based on the current global rate of carbon emissions, there’s a 50% chance the world will exceed the 1.5°C warming threshold by...
When the Middle East conflict began in October last year, the conventional wisdom was that nobody had an incentive to allow this conflict to spread to the rest of the region. Since then, we have had a series of minor escalations. In isolation, none of them seem that significant. But collectively they add up to...
In partnership with Authors: Rene Michau, Global Head, Digital Assets,Standard Chartered Jeremy Fox-Geen, Chief Financial Officer,Circle Key takeaways Stablecoins and the blockchains on which they travel can offer unparalleled utility as a new, unified infrastructure for payments, commerce and capital markets built directly into the internet. Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) is a blockchain-based dollar that...
What’s meant by ‘cleantech’ has evolved in recent decades. Today, the movement encompasses investment, research, development, and products from various industries and business practices to increase production efficiency while minimising negative environmental impacts (1). Over the years, cleantech has seen bursts of public engagement and private investment. Leading up to 2008, cleantech start-ups experienced an...
Robust infrastructure helps citizens live efficient lives whilst enabling economic productivity, furthering a country’s competitiveness on the global stage. Infrastructure is a catch-all term that can include everything from physical components that support the efficient flow of goods and people such as roads and railways, to digital infrastructure such as data centres, large databases or...
So far this year, US equities have rallied, while the US 10-year government bond yield has been recovering. Conventional wisdom would suggest caution towards the high-growth sectors in US equities because higher bond yields mean lower valuation for those Growth sectors. So, are we seeing the last leap in the high-flying sectors before the eventual...
The recent World Economic Forum offered an encouraging start to 2024 – despite the hurdles ahead. After the most aggressive bout of monetary policy tightening in many years, how will the global economy fare in 2024? Will we see a so-called ‘soft-landing’ for growth, now that inflation is under greater control, or will this sustained...
A dynamic collaboration pioneering the future of digital commerce Standard Chartered entered a strategic partnership with Checkout.com, a global payments service provider as their cash management bank to bring improved operational and performance to Checkout.com’s merchants in the Middle East and North Africa region. The partnership leverages state-of-the-art technology to seamlessly integrate payment systems and...
Successfully completing its fifth cohort in October 2023, Futuremakers Women in Tech continued to champion the innovation of women entrepreneurs and support them to drive their green and social businesses further. Women entrepreneurs win seed capital to spur innovation Three female entrepreneurs have concluded their transformative journey on the Women in Tech (WiT) accelerator programme...
A common topic clients brought up during this year’s annual outlook roadshows was what to do with China and Hong Kong equities. After three consecutive years of negative returns, MSCI China has remained on the downtrend so far this year. Patience is required as China’s policymakers shift focus to ensuring quality growth, but continued stock market...
The first month of a new calendar year is often a time when many of us plan our investments for the coming year. One topic that always enters the conversation today is what to do with cash deposits. In our Outlook 2024 report, we laid out a clear preference for equities and bonds over cash....
Trillion-dollar funding gaps are exacerbating global challenges: the infrastructure financing gap stands at USD15 trillion; the transition to net zero requires an extra USD3.5 trillion every year, and a USD4 trillion annual investment gap threatens to thwart the sustainable development goals (SDGs). With most of these gaps in the global south, it’s vital that as...
At current compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3%, African merchandise exports could reach $952 billion by 2035. But implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could see this leap to 30% — provided the political will exists. New research from Standard Chartered suggests that at the current compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of...