Cash

Corporates and banks in the Middle East face a variety of challenges when it comes to both cash management and trade fi nance. Here, Asif Raza, Vivek Anand, Farrukh Siddiqui and Ali Moosa explain to LIZ SALECKA how J.P. Morgan is helping its corporate and fi nancial institution clients to overcome these challenges and detail some of the bank’s latest …

Barclays Bank plans to increase its activity in the Mena region. Recently, Matt Tuck, head of financial institutions at Barclays Corporate, visited the Middle East for the second time since his appointment in november 2010. his focus was on continuing to build existing and new relationships with banks across the region, “leveraging Barclays’ footprint and off ering tailored solutions for …

Kuwaiti bankers are among the most astute in the region. That is why they are gearing up in terms of technical capabilities and service standards. PAUL MELLY reports Kuwait Finance is at the heart of Kuwaiti life. The country has been a pioneer in business, developing banks, investment houses and a stock market long before most regional neighbours.

Strong performance by the petrochemical sector because of higher global prices boosted the combined income of listed companies in saudi arabia by nearly 23 per cent in the fi rst quarter of 2011, according to a saudi investment fi rm. Despite the sharp fall in the profits of some firms, the combined earnings of the more than 120 companies trading …

The global downturn has provided bankers with a useful reminder of the solid income to be generated from providing core products. But there is a cost. PAUL MELLY reports. Competition and diversity make for a lively banking market in the United Arab Emirates which, despite the financial crisis of 15 months ago, remains a critical hub of business and financial …

MARC DOMAN, managing director of Invesco Cash Management, explains that risk management is now firmly on the agenda of corporate treasurers and shows how money market funds can fully address this issue As the epicentre of the global financial crisis slowly disappears into the mists of time, the recriminations, accusations and intimidations still echo around the world as to who …

  The ongoing market turmoil means that many local and regional banks are struggling to meet the increasinglysophisticated needs of their corporate clients, thus putting even the most established bank-corporate relationships at risk.  DOMINIC BROOM discusses how a more collaborative approach to local and global bank partnerships could turn this situation around. Working capital pressures combined with economic, market and …

  The effective mitigation of business risk needs treasurers to take an active role in Analysing Financial management andstrategy, as PETER MATZA heard when he attended the inaugural meeting of the Association of Corporate Treasurers Middle East (ACTME) in Oman and a breakfast meeting in Abu Dhabi The fi rst meeting of the ACTME in Oman was the latest in …

A rise in treasury management sophistication in the Middle East has led to desire for “top-end” solutions, including integrated cash and trade interfaces. LIZ SALECKA delves into the latest thinking This has lead to an increased awareness of the benefits of integrated cash and trade solutions, which enable corporates to view and manage their cash and trade positions seamlessly via …

Standard Chartered has launched a mobile application designed for its corporate clients – cash and trade authorisation for android smartphone users. This announcement follows the October 2010 launch of its iPhone application that offers authorisation capability for cash and trade to its corporate clients. The bank says the application covers authorisation for both cash and trade functions. Mobile authorisation via …

The second and final part of the WILL SPINNEY feature on ratio analsis The first part of this feature covered such key ratios as return on capital employed, operating profit margin and return on equity, as well as a variety of liquidity and solvency performance measures. This time around, we’re looking at the gearing/ leverage ratio and interest cover, as …

Th e Middle East has experienced a rapid transformation over the last few years, and corporates are now looking for a range of innovative transaction banking products and services from their banks as well as support to grow their businesses – both locally and internationally. Steve Donovan, Middle East and Pakistan head of global transaction services, Citi, together with his …

Almost all the market players in the Islamic fi nance industry complain about the lack of a truly international and well-structured liquidity management scheme to meet the shortterm surplus placement of some and the funding needs of other Islamic fi nancial institutions (IFIs) and those with Islamic banking windows. In reality, as Rafee haneef, managing director, global markets at hSBC …

In an exclusive interview, SAMIR SAHU, head of transaction banking services at Emirates NBD, talks to Cash & Trade What are the bank’s transaction strategy and its market? The bank’s transaction strategy has been to service, at an attractive price point, corporate and SME businesses through technology solutions that facilitate clients who give us their whole turnovers. This business was …

Cash forecasting is essentially the process of collecting information on balances and future cashflows from business units and being able to consolidate them instantly. Why is it so difficult and is there a simple, pragmatic approach to make it easier? SANNA OUTA, chief operating officer at Exidio, looks at common mistakes and how to avoid them . I graduated from …

As part of its aim to create transparency in the trade finance marketplace, CMM publishes this report, prepared by CAROLINE MAGINN, Cash Management Matters, CMM trade partner. This research will be updated quarterly throughout the year and anticipates the full-year report for 2010, which will be released after annual reports are published by the banks in Saudi Arabia. In the …