The latest quarterly survey of Fenwick & West LLP found most Silicon Valley companies that raised venture funding in the fourth quarter of 2015 softened.
South/Central America
Scotiabank's profit soars on global banking
Canada-based Bank of Nova Scotia witnessed a strong profit surge as banking activity in domestic and international operations rose. Scotiabank has increased provision for bad loans in the oil and gas sector. The bank is expanding in Mexico, Chile, Columbia and Peru.
Propery Investors To Face Tough Economic Condition in South Africa
Property investors would face tough economic condition in South Africa due to the economic resession the country is facing. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is attempting to overcome this by increasing tax, that could slow down property sales in the country.
Peru's central bank ups reserve ratio for Sol currency
Central Reserve Bank of Peru is increasing local currency bank reserve requirements (reserve ratio) to support its weakening currency Nuevo Sol. The capital reserve ratio will be one percent from March 206 onwards from existing 0.75 percent.
Petrobras Absorbs Shock On Latest Downgrading By Moody’s- Securing $10 Billion Loan From China
China has represented itself as a familiar lender to the Latin American Countries and businesses fighting for debts. In a similar approach, it has extended loan facility to Brazilian indebted oil giant Petrobras for $10 billion securing oil for Chinese companies. The announcement has appeared just after the latest downgrading by Moody’s to junk status following several other credit rating agencies.
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Led by new President Mauricio Macri, economy recovery in Argentina is anticipated during 2016. Argentina registered $3 billion trade deficit for 2015. Exports too fell over 50 percent during 2015.
Investment inflows into oil and gas projects are dropping significantly. The investments in oil projects in 2016 is forecast to fall below £1 billion from the five-year annual average of £8 billion.
Latin America experienced a phenomenal growth in the last decade. However, according to World Bank, the economic growth has not reached some people.Meanwhile the region's economy is slowing down in the last three years.
Russia's leading oil producer, Rosneft has proposed investing another $500 million in Venezuela's state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela SA, to increase their stake from the original 16.7%. The proposition has come at a time when the country has declared an economic emergency after oil prices dropped to an alarming $24 a barrel.
Standard & Poor's (S&P) has cut rating on Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) as it's suffering from lower oil prices. The long -term foreign and local currency sovereign credit has been lowered to 'A minus/ A-2' from 'A plus / A-1.'
General Motors discontinued and then sold its Saab and Saturn brands. Ironically, it made an announcement today that these cars from both brands consist of parts that could explode from the Takata airbag. The said cars’ manufacturing date was way back 2003 and a total of 180,000 vehicles are recalled in the U.S. while 20,000 units are from Canada.
Starbucks have brewed some new additions to its mouth-watering menu. The company introduces the Smoked Butterscotch Latte together with the Teavana Citrus Green Latte, whether hot or cold and other versions of Frappuccino. This latest addition is available in U.S. and Canada only.
Brazilian steelmaker Usiminas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais SA, a Brazilian steel producer, is in the process of offloading its manufacturing unit. Usiminas has already hired Credit Suisse SA as its financial advisor for the unit sale. The sluggish global economy and China's economy slowdown are impacting the Brazilian steel industry in more negative way.
Groupo BTG Pactual SA has been witnessed to tatter due to decrease in asset value it manages. To maintain the cash flow and remain profitable in the slower economy of Brazil, the Sao Paolo based bank has adopted some cost-cutting measures including job and bonus cuts.
