Banks in Mongolia are facing weaker profits this year as one of Asia's fastest growing economies cools, triggering a downpour of higher borrowing costs and an increase in non-performing loans, while credit rating agencies are watching the banks' vulnerability to China's continued economic slowdown.
Economic update | Mongolia banks under pressure
Economic update | Myanmar opening banking doors
Foreign banks are about to make a return to Myanmar after an absence of more than 50 years, in a move that is intended to support foreign direct investment (FDI) and improve existing services.
Economic update | Islamic banking thriving in Oman
Islamic banking in Oman is expected to grow at double-digit rates as sharia-compliant banking products increasingly gain acceptance and the government’s plans to ease restrictions come to fruition.
Articles & Analysis | Strong potential for take-up of new mobile banking technology from The Report: Egypt 2014
Just how many of Egypt’s nearly 90m citizens remain outside the banking system is a matter of speculation. A recent report by accountancy firm EY suggests that only 10% of Egyptian adults hold an account at a formal institution, while other market observers have posited more generous estimates of up to 35% formalisation across the eligible population.
Articles & Analysis | Reforms prove successful, as the sector maintains robust performance from The Report: Egypt 2014
Despite a challenging economic backdrop, Egypt’s banks have succeeded in growing their assets and maintaining profitability over the past year. Their solid performance has been facilitated by a process of banking reform that began a decade ago, and the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) continues to command the attention of the sector with its final...
Articles & Analysis | Basel implementation set to continue amid strong fundamentals from The Report: Egypt 2014
Egypt’s revolution of 2011 may be over, but the lingering fallout has continued to force the banking sector’s regulator, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), to maintain a proactive stance in addressing potential weaknesses – something it has done with success over the past few years. Faced with a rapidly deteriorating economic scenario, it moved quickly to safeguard banks...