Islamic finance has had a growing presence in Brunei Darussalam since the early 1990s, with active support from Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. Today the Islamic banking and takaful (Islamic insurance) segments are transitioning into the dominant forms of banking and insurance in the country, and the Sultanate’s large foreign investments are increasingly...
Banking sector growth has accelerated as authorities have eased up somewhat on restrictive regulations, and banks are looking forward to an improved climate as overall economic growth revives. Rapid growth in lending to domestic business, albeit from a low base, gives some cause for hope that the sector is beginning to work through the limitations of an economy dominated...
The recent acceleration of bank lending to domestic businesses, albeit from a low base, shows the increasing seriousness of the government’s drive to speed growth outside of the dominant oil and gas sector. Driven by government-linked banks, the upturn has helped buoy domestic demand despite the decline in energy exports. The banks most responsible for driving the growth...
While limited in size and reach, the insurance market in Papua New Guinea recorded double-digit growth in the five years to 2013. Driven by the non-life corporate segment, growth has attracted a number of new players. Although the market appears crowded for its size, underwriters have maintained profitability on the back of low loss ratios in...
With 94% of non-life (non-compulsory third-party motor cover) premiums stemming from corporates and the lion’s share of life coming from group policies, the scope for expanding insurance penetration in the market is vast. Yet with GDP per capita of $2200 in 2013, according to Standard & Poor’s, scaling products down will be key to driving...
Although the Port Moresby Stock Exchange (POMSoX) witnessed two new initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2013, the market of 20 stocks, 13 of which are dual listed offshore and one of which is inactive, remains dominated by 12 listed firms in the mining and oil and gas sectors. Financial services, retail, aviation and agroindustry are also...
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