Economy

As many countries turn to debt to help fund their recoveries from the coronavirus pandemic, an increasing number of governments and companies are looking at sustainability-focused financial instruments such as green bonds to fund major projects.

While the coronavirus pandemic has had a negative impact on many businesses throughout 2020, a recent rebound in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) has pointed towards a partial recovery in investor sentiment – as well as demonstrating that certain sectors have taken on greater importance as a result of Covid-19.

In a bid to offset economic headwinds associated with the coronavirus pandemic, Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (widely known as AMLO) announced an infrastructure investment plan of nearly $14bn, aimed at supporting business and stimulating an economic recovery.

With a view to stimulating an economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, African governments are pushing ahead with plans to implement a continent-wide free trade zone, with a particular emphasis on e-commerce and digital payments.

The pandemic and its related economic effects prompted a slowdown in initial public offerings (IPOs) in South-east Asia, as it did globally. However, there are indications that the region is set to see listing activity bounce back in the coming months.