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Tencent’s WeBank Finds Sweet Spot in Microloans in China
Seven months after its launch, Tencent-backed (00700.HK) WeBank is showing off some of its first financial accomplishments that hint at the direction it may take as it carves out a place in China’s banking sector.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- microfinance
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Fight Against Tropical Diseases Is Framed As Efficient
In the battle for the billions of dollars spent fighting global diseases, doctors who tackle neglected tropical diseases have labeled their struggle a “best buy.”
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Nigeria’s Ministry of Health Accuses Okonjo-Iweala of Making Questionable Payment to Global Health NGO
ficials of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) are questioning how former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala handled payment of the sum of $2.2 million that was the subject of a dispute between the Health Ministry and a global non-governmental organization called the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI). Former Nigerian Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- vaccines
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Wall Street not giving up on U.S. social impact bonds
Wall Street firms like Deutsche Bank , Santander Bank and Bank of America are still interested in backing U.S. social impact bonds, despite the failure of the first such initiative.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
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Islamic banking consistently expanding in Pakistan
Last week, the State Bank of Pakistan granted its first license to a micro-finance bank and brought it into the Islamic mode.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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OPINION: We Need to Prove Impact Investing Makes a Difference
While measuring impact is complicated, investors, grant makers, and nonprofit organization need to have some way to assess, manage, and communicate their real impact.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
- Tags
- impact investing
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Inter-American Development Bank Report Highlights Business Opportunities At Base of the Pyramid in Latin America and Caribbean
According to an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report released today, the base of the pyramid is a $759 billion market offering promising business opportunities to the private sector.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Latin America
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Mutual Funds in India Invest $157M in Secured Debentures of Microfinance Institutions
Several mutual funds based in India, including Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) Prudential Mutual Fund, Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Mutual Fund, Kotak Mutual Fund, Reliance Mutual Fund and State Bank of India (SBI) Mutual Fund, recently invested in secured debentures issued by several Indian microfinance institutions (MFIs). The issuers include Equitas Microfinance (Equitas); Janalakshmi Financial Services (JFS); SKS Microfinance (SKS) and Ujjivan Financial Services (Ujjivan). Although the individual transaction amounts are not available, the investments by the mutual funds total approximately INR 10 billion (USD 157 million). The debentures bear coupon rates of 11.5 up to 13 percent, approximately 3 to 4 percent above than highly rated securities issued by other Indian companies. The securities are backed by receivables and fixed assets owned by the MFIs.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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