Trade Finance News and Trends
Trade finance modernization turns towards blockchain
A study of European treasurers by working capital fintech C2FO finds that 75% are focusing on investing in trade finance technology in 2017. Colin Sharp, senior vice-president, EMEA at C2FO, says the shifting macroeconomic environment is pressuring corporates to refocus their efforts on trade finance: “Treasurers are facing a lot of uncertainty, both from the US and around Brexit. This is putting stress on the supply chain, with demand increasing and decreasing. Treasures want the ability to use their assets to make returns and give some certainty.
Source: https://www.euromoney.com/article/b12khnzp4pq9p5/trade-finance-modernization-turns-towards-blockchain
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ICC Academy unveils new e-course on digital trade finance and fintechs
The educational arm of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the ICC Academy, has launched an advanced-level e-course entitled “Digital Trade Finance and Fintechs.” The curriculum is aimed at professionals working in banks, corporations, financial institutions, insurance companies and financial technology (fintech) firms.
Source: https://iccwbo.org/media-wall/news-speeches/icc-academy-unveils-new-e-course-digital-trade-finance-fintechs/
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Targeting Seamless Trade Finance Operations
As Nigerians look forward to better days when the economy would have stabilised and emerged from recession, integrated digital payments company, Interswitch Group, has struck a deal with Misys, a leading provider of lending, treasury, trading and risk management solutions to ease trade finance operations and improve service delivery as far as local banks are concerned.
Source: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/06/22/targeting-seamless-trade-finance-operations/
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SBI cautious in India but looking to increase corporate lending in Europe
State Bank of India is trying to increase corporate lending in Europe. SBI Frankfurt, which has the status of an independent bank in Europe, has traditionally lent for trade financing but now wants to fund Indian business houses in Europe and European firms in India.
In the recent past, there has been a conscious shift in strategy to lend more to European companies, according to an executive with SBI Frankfurt. Now nearly 50 per cent of the bank’s non-trade finance business portfolio consists of syndicated loans to European companies. SBI Frankfurt’s growth in business over the next few years would come from lending to European firms, confirmed another bank executive.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/finance/sbi-cautious-in-india-but-looking-to-increase-corporate-lending-in-europe-117061700260_1.html
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Maersk now offering trade finance operation for customers
Danish liner company Maersk Line has expanded into the trade finance business by allowing customers to finance their operations as long as they are shipping with Maersk.
The financing scheme works because Maersk has a rich trove of customer information from which to base a decision on the customer’s creditworthiness, according to the Copenhagen-based company. This enables companies to manage their shipping and finance needs with one provider, rather than using one vendor for shipping and another vendor—normally a bank—for trade finance, Maersk said.
Source: http://www.freshplaza.com/article/177338/Maersk-now-offering-trade-finance-operation-for-customers
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Adam Smith Associates offers trade & commodity finance related services & solutions to its domestic and international clients.
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Views expressed in this article are purely of the author – Mr Rohit Srivastava – a leading technical analyst.
