Categories » Corporate Finance

The basic concept of a pension fund is simple, but there are many pressures applied to the different scheme-types and these make it a far more complex matter than most would care to tackle. What are the issues?
Be the first to comment | March 2013

Corporate bonds were last year’s must-have asset class – and the market for it seemingly had something to offer everyone. For investors, corporate debt provided higher returns than government debt, but with less volatility than equities. For corporates keen to move away from bank debt, record low-yields presented a great opportunity to lower their borrowing costs. But with a changing macroeconomic backdrop, will the bullish trajectory continue in 2013?
Be the first to comment | February 2013

No longer the preserve of the Muslim business world, Shari’ah-compliant finance is being utilised by corporates in America and Europe as a means of tapping the capital markets and wealthy investors. And with investor demand for Islamic bonds showing signs of a steady increase, should your company be looking towards issuing a Sukuk?
Be the first to comment | October 2012

In the current climate, commercial paper is an excellent source of cheap funding for corporates with short-term obligations. Who is benefitting from this trend and what is going on in the market today?
Be the first to comment | August 2012

Corporate bond issuances are becoming increasingly popular in light of the lending freeze by banks. But in 2012 how many credit ratings does a corporate need to attract investors?
Be the first to comment | April 2012

The headache of defined benefit pension schemes is nothing new – but the Eurozone debt crisis has heaped further pressure upon an already challenging matter. As corporate treasurers take an increasingly active role in the area of company pension schemes, they are being confronted with a wide range of issues from lower yielding assets to the impact of pensions on M&A activity.
Be the first to comment | February 2012
Finding a suitable investment vehicle for investing surplus funds in China can be a challenge. In this article we look at the benefits – and also the risks – of investing in money market funds, and how this area is developing in China.
Be the first to comment | September 2011

Until the sub-prime loan debacle, investors in the debt capital markets (DCM) took their lead from the ratings and credit profiles provided by the big three ratings agencies. Debt issuers needed ratings to obtain the best price for their paper. But after the crisis this is changing.
Be the first to comment | June 2011
Most companies rely entirely on bank debt and have never borrowed in the bond markets. They think it’s complicated, that only large issues can be done and that a rating is compulsory. None of this is true and for a number of reasons treasurers of companies outside the global leviathans need to look again at non-bank funding sources.
Be the first to comment | April 2011

Banks are rolling out the next generation of supply chain finance (SCF) solutions but is there corporate demand to match? While the financial crisis has taught companies the benefits of SCF programmes, most have yet to embrace the full suite of solutions that banks are marketing. Meanwhile, the rise of dynamic discounting could remove banks from the SCF equation altogether.
1 Comment | January 2011