-
July
Law firm Simmons & Simmons has announced that Qatar-based partner, Samer Eido, will take over as the new head of the financial markets practice in the Middle East.
-
Services provider Cotecna Asia has launched an online service for the inspection and quality control of consumer goods.
-
Trade Finance Magazine has won the Specialised Information Publishers Association’s (SIPA) Product of the Year prize.
-
Professor Calestous Juma on how the newly launched East African Community will change the economic landscape of the continent.
-
BAFT-IFSA has appointed a payments banker as its new vice president.
-
The Africa Finance Corporation and Nigeria’s Access Bank have signed a master risk participation agreement for trade transactions.
-
The South Korean government plans to simplify rules and build infrastructure to help domestic companies better capitalise on free trade agreements.
-
The Asian Development Bank has suspended a planned phase-out of exceptional allocation of its Asian Development Fund to Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012.
-
Indonesia has cancelled regulation demanding commodity exporters use letters of credit for export payments.
-
Norton Rose has relocated a banking partner specialising in Islamic and structured trade finance to its Hong Kong office.
-
HSBC has completed its first UK cross-border renminbi (RMB) trade settlement transaction for the UK hand and garden tool business Neill Tools Limited.
-
Law firm Chadbourne & Parke is opening a new office in Sao Paulo and has hired two trade finance lawyers to strengthen its Latin America practice.
-
After originally declining its application US Ex-Im has agreed to review a request by Reliance Power of India asking the bank to guarantee a new coal-fired power plant.
-
The European Commission has authorised a Hungarian export credit insurance scheme to support local exporting firms.
-
The Specialised Financial Court of Almaty has approved the restructuring plan of Kazkakhstan’s BTA Bank.
-
DLA Piper’s James Willcock assisted by DLA Piper's Herman Lemaire and Emmanuel Lubala analyse what impact West-African legal treaty OHADA will have on secured lending within the Democratic Republic of Congo.
-
The Industrial Bank of Korea has joined the Inter American Development Bank’s trade finance facilitation programme to support Korean exports to the Latin American region.
-
The International Chamber of Commerce has named its new chairman and vice-chairman.
-
The Import-Export Bank of Thailand has launched its new cash and insurance service to boost exports destined for Asia and Australasia.
-
ANZ and Australia’s export credit agency EFIC have signed a working capital guarantee facility agreement to assist Australian exporters.
-
ICC's new Uniform Rules for Demand Guarantees (URDG), which govern guarantees and counter-guarantees between importers and exporters, has entered into effect today.
-
June
Taiwan and China have signed an economic co-operation framework agreement which will remove tariffs on hundreds of products to boost bilateral trade.
-
Standard Chartered Bank and Agricultural Bank of China have signed a memorandum of understanding to increase intra-Asia and Asia-Africa trade corridors.
-
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has voiced its disappointment over the the approach taken to two key trade issues by the G20 following the Toronto summit.
-
The US Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation has approved the Bulgarian Development Bank to participate in its Export Credit Guarantee Programme.
-
First Bank of Nigeria is to sign a memorandum of understanding with and has opened an office in Beijing to facilitate Chinese firms' business activities in Nigeria.
-
China is set to expand its pilot renminbi trade settlement scheme to 20 provinces and cities across mainland China.
-
Jordan’s Cairo Amman Bank has joined the International Finance Corporation’s Global Trade Finance Programme to help expand its trade finance support for Jordanian businesses.
-
The International Chambers of Commerce has called on G8 and G20 leaders meeting in Toronto this week to back trade and conclude the Doha trade round.
-
Standard Chartered Bank, together with Chinese state officials have launched a reminbi trade settlement road show in Hong Kong, Korea and Japan.
-
Coface has become the first international credit insurer to get its licence in Russia.
-
Representatives of the International Chambers of Commerce advocate a more favourable and strategic regulatory treatment of trade finance.
-
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has signed a Letter of Intent with Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) and its group banks to secure effective financing in the ASEAN region.
-
Dutch agricultural bank Rabobank has agreed a strategic partnership with state-owned rural lender Agricultural Bank of China.
-
Structured commodity financing has secured a tax concession from Singaporean state body trade body, International Enterprise.
-
Florida International Bankers Association, a 31-year old trade group with member banks from 18 countries on four continents, has elected its new president for 2010-2011.
-
The International Chambers of Commerce has announced a new chair of the ICC Commission on Taxation, which opposes tax obstacles to cross-border trade and investment.
-
May
Law firms Denton Wilde Sapte, based in the UK, and US-based Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal are considering merging to form a new firm - SNR Denton.
-
Eight development finance institutions have launched the African Financing Partnership to enable greater cooperation, co-financing, and evaluation of private sector projects across the continent.
-
The British Exporters Association has delivered its trade manifesto to the recently-elected UK government.
-
Law firm Watson, Farley & Williams has hired a new London partner in its international project and structured finance group.
-
BNP Paribas Egypt is the first bank in Egypt to receive ISO certification for international trade finance services.
-
Roger Jones has stepped down today after 18 years as chair of the ICC UK Committee on Banking Technique & Practice.
-
Oliver O’Connell examines the potential for renminbi trade settlement to usher in a new phase in global trade, and what the advantages are for China’s trading partners.
-
The Reserve Bank of India has set interest rates for rupee export credit at or above the base rate.
-
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Asian Development Bank to finance projects aimed at preserving the global environment.
-
Legal firm Denton Wilde Sapte has appointed trade finance partner Jonathan Solomon to its senior partnership.
-
Experienced project and trade finance lawyer, Vincent Mulvey has joined Baker Botts in Abu Dhabi.
-
The World Customs Organisation and ADB have signed an MoU boosting their partnership in facilitating trade.
-
April
Lebanon and Qatar have signed 13 trade agreements during the Qatari premier’s visit to Beirut.
-
Bob Lyddon, managing director of the IBOS Association, which fosters inter-bank cooperation, comments on the proposed IMF bank tax plans and their potential effect on trade finance.
-
Denton Wilde Sapte has promoted one of its trade finance lawyer to managing associate.
-
The Reserve Bank of India is to deregulate interest rates on certain segments of export finance as it moves to implement the base rate system.
-
BAFT-IFSA has submitted commented letters to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in response to proposed changes to capital and liquidity requirements.
-
As Icelandic volcanic ash causes chaos for European air transport, Reed Smith’s trade team examines what impact travel disruption will have for international trade.
-
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has postponed its Banking Commission Spring meeting, due to take place in Beijing on 21-23 April, as volcanic ash continues to cause travel disruptions across Europe.
-
ASEAN members have reported completing approximately three quarters of the target measures needed to create an integrated economic community by 2015.
-
Comment from Iain MacDonald, head of trade product, Barclays and the British Chambers of Commerce following the release of today's ONS UK Trade Statistics.
-
Multilateral development banks have agreed to collectively bar firms and individuals found to have engaged in wrongdoing in their development projects.
-
Cotecna’s Mexican subsidiary has signed an extension to their customs inspection contract with Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT) in Mexico.
-
Kazakhstan's Alliance Bank has completed its $4.5 billion restructuring, the first under Kazakhstan’s new “cram-down” restructuring legislation.
-
The Trade Bank of Iraq has doubled the maximum value of letters of credit it allocates to the private banking sector in response to a strong increase in demand for cross-border trade finance in Iraq.
-
March
Francisco Sánchez is to lead the US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.
-
Peggy Houlihan is stepping down from her role president of US lobby group the Small Business Exporters Association (SBEA).
-
The International Chambers of Commerce (ICC) banking commission task force on anti-money laundering has released guidelines on sanction clauses in trade related products.
-
People’s Bank of China governor says China is open to talks on currency values, but like the US it too must create jobs through exports.
-
Law firm White & Case has appointed two new partners specialising in project and trade finance.
-
The International Chamber of Commerce has unveiled a revised version of the Uniform Rules for Demand Guarantees (URDG), instrumental in adopting uniform practices in trade finance.
-
The European Commission has authorised a measure adopted by Slovenia to provide short-term export credit insurance cover to the private market.
-
Law firm DLA Piper has hired a new US partner specialising in project and structured finance to be based in its New York and Los Angeles offices.
-
Standard Chartered Bank has teamed with Chinese officials for a trade delegation to promote renminbi trade settlement in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
-
Comment from Iain MacDonald, head of trade product, Barclays and the British Chambers of Commerce following the release of today's ONS UK Trade Statistics.
-
The International Finance Corporation has hosted a series of workshops to improve credit reporting in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Tanzania.
-
DLA Piper has signed a cooperation agreement with Brazil’s Campos Mello Advogados, promising “more to come” in Latin America.
-
February
A Mexican national has been indicted and arrested in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud US Ex-Im.
-
The Reserve Bank of India has lowered the foreign currency export credit rate to aid Indian exports.
-
To protect its debt restructuring plan, Kazakhstan’s Alliance Bank has filed for chapter 15 bankruptcy to prevent US lawsuits.
-
Belgian export credit agency ONDD has increased its insurance premiums for Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.
-
For the first time since the adoption of the revised ICC Uniform Rules for Demand Guarantees (URDG), members of the drafting group will give a full public presentation on the new rules at a special seminar to be held in Paris on 18 March.
-
Companies based in Hong Kong can now issue renminbi bonds under new guidelines announced by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
-
Norton Rose LLP today announced that Nick Grandage is to join its banking practice in London as a structured trade and commodity finance partner.
-
Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke has announced that US Ex-Im is to play a vital role in President Obama’s National Export Initiative - details.
-
January
The National Foreign Trade Council has welcomed President Obama’s commitment to expanding export opportunities and strengthening trade ties.
-
Russia-based Salans partner Glenn Kolleeny has been elected to the firm’s global board.
-
Global heads of export finance from 13 leading banks gathered today in Paris to discuss issues that impact on the ECA-backed business line.
-
TARP chief operating officer, and former US Ex-Im officer joins DC office of law firm Cozen O’Connor.
-
Two trade bodies, the Bankers’ Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT) and the International Financial Services Association (IFSA), have now merged.
-
Dickon Harris approaches the sharpest legal minds in Trade Finance to find out what to expect in 2010.
-
Deficit narrowed to £2.9 billion in November 2009, with balancing working capital seen as crucial for importers and exporters.
-
Latham & Watkins strengthens Asia practice with office launch in China’s capital.
-
Two major free trade agreements with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have come into effect.
-
China’s central bank has stated it plans to expand a trial for yuan cross-border settlements across the whole of China.
-
Deacons Australia has joined the Norton Rose Group strengthening the firm’s Asia practice.