SF Fed Blog
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China Looms Large in Global Green Bonds
Green bonds are a creative response to the challenge of financing environmental protection efforts. While the global green bond market has grown at a rapid pace, China has quickly emerged as the largest issuer of green bonds.
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Demonetization Is Catalyzing Digital Payments Growth in India
Nearly six months after India’s momentous demonetization, the government continues to expand options for digital payments to reduce the economy’s dependence on cash. While old habits die hard, recent data show that new digital payment methods are building momentum. These innovations offer simple, universal tools that may help India leapfrog older technology to reach a less cash-intensive future.
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China’s Growing Presence in Global Bond Indices
Despite the size and importance of China’s bond market, the country has had a limited presence in the major global bond indices. This is starting to change as several important bond indices have taken steps to add China following a series of reforms to the country’s domestic bond market.
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Can Asia Overcome Challenges and Remain Resilient?
Despite sizable capital outflows in recent years, emerging Asia’s strong external position and solid economic performance will help the region weather headwinds and remain financially resilient.
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Overcoming Homeownership Challenges in Rural America: Lessons from Alaska
With its stunning landscape and rich culture, Alaska is known as the “The Last Frontier.” But the real “frontier” begins outside populated areas like Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau where decent, safe, and energy-efficient housing becomes scarce.
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Dim Sum Bonds Take a Dive
The development of an offshore bond market, colorfully referred to as dim sum bonds, is an important pillar of China’s strategy to make the renminbi a global currency. However, like other aspects of renminbi internationalization, the growth of the offshore bond market has been halting and uneven.
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CDFIs and Nail Salons: A Partnership to Improve the Health of Low-Income Workers
Our new partnership explores the role of community development finance in improving the health of low-income nail salon workers.
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Auditing the Auditors in Asia
Even the best financial regulation can be undone by faulty or inaccurate financial reporting. Accounting regulatory regimes, which include auditor oversight, are critical in ensuring that the plumbing of the financial system works and ultimately the stability of the economy.
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Connecting China’s Stock Markets to the World
Over the past several years, several small but important channels have opened to allow capital to flow between China and global capital markets. The newest of these is the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program, which has the potential to serve as important financial gateway for both institutional and individual investors.
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Korean Shipping Industry Sinks as Exports Lag
Korea’s Hanjin Shipping entered receivership in August 2016 after creditors refused it much-needed support. Hanjin is the most prominent casualty of the recent global shipping downturn. Yet, woes in the industry are not specific to Korea: three Japanese shippers have merged, and Taiwan announced a $1.9 billion bailout for its shipping industry since Hanjin’s episode. Korea and other export-oriented Asian economies will remain vulnerable to persistent shipping weakness as global trade and China’s slowdown persist.