Free content

Imagine trying to explain stock markets to an alien or an intelligent caveman, someone who has grown up in a world without the flicker of red and green numbers, the theatre of shareholder meetings, the strange spectacle of Jim Cramer’s pre-scheduled rage.

Ukraine is once more at the forefront of emerging market investors' worries as military tensions with Russia escalate. Amid the uncertainty, Ukraine is fighting another uphill battle to access IMF funding in order to recover its economy as soon as possible. The governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, Kyrylo Shevchenko, spoke to GlobalCapital about the challenges the country is facing and the importance of central bank independence.

GlobalCapital is conducting its annual poll to determine its Bond Awards 2021. The voting deadline has been extended until April 22, so we invite readers who have not voted yet to do so in the coming week.

Renewable energy has been one of the hottest sectors in Europe’s equity capital markets in recent times but investors are no longer just buying companies for their verdant hue. Issuers must now prove they have the financial strength to back their environmental credentials.

Turkey's central bank once again faces a critical rates decision this week. Any whiff of a cut in rates would be disastrous for the volatility-stricken country and its access to capital markets.

Semrush, the Boston-headquartered marketing software company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange last month during a tricky time for the IPO market. CFO Evgeny Fetisov talks to GlobalCapital about the IPO and the challenges in taking the firm public.

In this round-up, China’s top antitrust watchdog fines Alibaba Group Holding a record Rmb18.23bn ($2.78bn) for monopolistic practices, and regulators announce measures to develop and open the financial services sector in the Hainan Free Trade Port.

It is often said, incorrectly, that the Chinese word for crisis consists of the characters meaning danger and opportunity. While the translation may be off — the components are more like danger and change point — they may well describe the situation at crisis-riddled Credit Suisse for one big name banker.

In this round-up, the State Council flags up risks at regional financial institutions in China, measures have been announced to relax market access in the Hainan Free Trade Port, and the Guangzhou government details a plan to develop the financial industry and support cross-border businesses in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

In this round-up, Beijing plans to beef up capital requirements for domestic systemically important banks, foreign investors reduce their investment in domestic Chinese bonds in March, and JD.com’s technology unit is reportedly planning to set up a financial holding company.

Banks shouldn’t let conceptual considerations stand in the way of them issuing sustainability-linked bonds.

Hong Kong has now vaccinated half a million people, after rolling its vaccine out to all comers last month. There have been a few hiccups – the discovery of packaging defects caused a temporary halt to the AstraZeneca jab — but most people have now had the first of their required two shots.