Energizing the Base
After an unsuccessful foray into the Dominican Republic, Republic Bank has curtailed regional expansion plans and is focusing on Trinidad and Tobago. It sold its Dominican assets to BHD in October 2007 and has since greatly improved risk management.
Category: 2008
COMMENT: Into the Vortex
Is your money safe, or is it in a bank? The bad joke doing the rounds in the US says as much about the financial cataclysm – laugh, or you will cry –as it does about how risk globally is being radically reassessed.
Local Investment Bank − Colombia: Bancolombia
Bancolombia sees an opportunity to use local knowledge to build investment banking at a time when foreign competitors are challenged. It will also be tested.
Best Bank − Uruguay: Banco de la Republica
FDI Booster
Uruguay’s Banco de la República, the country’s largest bank in terms of deposits, has started to notch up an excellent performance on the back of firm economic growth. The Uruguayan economy has been roaring ahead at more than 7% a year following the 2002 economic crisis, according to the IMF. At first, expansion in banking did not follow the economic rise, but during the past two years it has started to match it.
Derivatives Hammer Exporters
Exporters face investor scrutiny of derivatives positions after failed FX bets forced multibillion dollar losses. They may also suffer restrictions on credit.
Local Investment Bank − Chile: Larrain Vial
Golden Opportunity
Larrain Vial, one of Chile’s most active investment banks, believes it will fare well after the recent turmoil on Wall Street, which should diminish competition. And it does not think the reputation of investment banking generally has been tarnished.
Best Bank − Venezuela: Banco Mercantil
Minding the Business
Venezuela’s government may meddle in the banking sector, but Mercantil Banco Universal –one of the country’s biggest financial institutions – continues to grow. However, a global economic slowdown threatens continued expansion.
How LatAm Benefits From Crisis
LatAm will be a leading beneficiary of asset reallocation once the post-crisis dust settles, according to Jerome Booth, head of research at UK-based Ashmore Investment Management, which controls $32 billion in assets. He was speaking mid-October, after Ashmore announced that it had lost 14.7% of assets under management in the third quarter.
Best Bank − Argentina: Banco Santander
Positioned to Survive
Santander Río, Argentina’s leading bank in terms of number of clients after the two public ones, is one of the most profitable financial institutions in the country. All banks in Argentina had their reputations tarnished during the 2001 economic crisis but Santander Río has one of the best images locally.
Best Multilateral: Inter-American Development Bank
Forward Lateral
Long before it was making $6 billion available to boost regional liquidity, providing $400 million to the Panama Canal, or preparing $150 million to prop up Mexican RMBS, the IDB had gone from lender of last resort to innovator of first choice. The institution’s funding was as crucial to keeping tiny businesses afloat as it was to pushing through gigantic projects. The leadership, ingenuity and raw sums of money it put in outshine other multilaterals in a banner year for the sector.
