Asia Gains Ground in Global Capital Shift - Weekly Roundup: 14 April
HSBC’s new survey of 3,000 global firms shows a decisive tilt toward Asia, with 41% naming mainland China as the most important market over the next five years, while volatility is now seen as a permanent backdrop. Investors are reallocating capital regionally, lengthening horizons and increasing cross‑border flows, even as Middle‑East conflict drives record equity fund outflows in Europe and the UK. Meanwhile, B2B stablecoin usage has surged to $6 bn a month, AI‑to‑AI commerce is gaining traction, and treasury technology—from mobile approvals to integrated payment‑liquidity platforms—is rapidly evolving. These trends signal a restructuring of global capital, technology‑driven finance and risk management.
Middle East Shock Hits Global Growth and Prices
Global business activity slowed sharply in March as the Middle East war dented demand, confidence and supply chains. The J.P. Morgan Global Composite PMI fell to 51.0, its weakest reading in 11 months, while new orders hit a 28‑month low and...
CFOs Dig in as Geopolitical Strains Drag on - Weekly Roundup: 7 April
CFOs are tightening risk management as geopolitical instability tops their threat list, yet 90% still anticipate industry growth and plan higher investment in capital, R&D and marketing. Two‑thirds are bolstering cash buffers and shifting focus to short‑term performance metrics, while...
Australia Slowdown Signals Tougher Operating Environment for Corporates
Deloitte Access Economics warns that Australia’s economy will decelerate sharply, with real GDP growth projected to fall from 2.6% in 2025 to about 1.8% by the end of 2026 and modest 1.9% growth in 2026‑27. Inflation is expected to peak...
How Cost of Capital Is Reshaping Risk, Regulation, and Capital Allocation
The 2026 AFP Cost of Capital Survey shows corporations are turning cost of capital from a static valuation input into a dynamic risk‑adjustment tool. Nearly half of firms now raise their hurdle rates to reflect uncertainty, while 63% rely on...
Energy Shock Tests Global Growth Outlook - Weekly Roundup: 31 March
The OECD’s interim outlook warns that a Middle‑East energy shock will trim global growth to 2.9% in 2026 and keep inflation above 4%, reshaping policy priorities. In Europe, 80% of B2B buyers now rely on AI for purchasing, yet invoicing...
The Evolution of B2B Payments in Europe: Interview with Rene Stynen, SVP of Business Development, EMEA at Boost Payment Solutions
Boost Payment Solutions’ SVP for EMEA, Rene Stynen, says Europe’s B2B payments are moving beyond SEPA’s simple money‑movement to focus on automation, reconciliation and integrated procurement workflows. Finance leaders are balancing working‑capital pressures with supplier liquidity needs, turning to commercial‑card...
Enhancing Payments Security Training and Intelligence to Combat Emerging Payments Fraud
Payments fraud surged 89% year‑over‑year, propelled by a 3.6‑fold rise in AI‑driven attacks such as deepfakes and impersonation. Criminals are exploiting executives' personal digital lives, using cloned voices and videos to bypass traditional controls. The report from Veriff stresses that...
Bridging the Digital Divide Between B2B and Consumer Payments
Dean M. Leavitt, CEO of Boost Payment Solutions, highlights the widening gap between frictionless consumer payments and the cumbersome, legacy‑driven B2B payment landscape. He argues that B2B transactions suffer from slow settlement, rigid processes, and limited personalization due to high‑value...
Five Lessons From Recent WARS to Fortify Corporate Treasury Against Future Conflict
Corporate treasurers must adapt to the escalating U.S.–Israel‑Iran conflict, which is reshaping energy markets, shipping routes, and global liquidity. The article outlines five lessons: early AI‑driven geopolitical risk identification, supply‑chain diversification and cyber‑defences, advanced scenario and stress testing, rapid digital...
Iran Strikes Push Oil Higher and Raise Inflation Risks - Weekly Roundup: 10 March
Oil prices surged past $100 a barrel after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, reviving inflation concerns and prompting analysts to warn of a dual recession‑inflation risk. Meanwhile, Swift is launching a new cross‑border retail payments framework to improve speed...
Embedded ERP AI to Cut Financial Close Times 30% by 2028 - Weekly Roundup: 3 March
The week’s finance‑focused roundup highlighted rapid advances in AI‑enabled enterprise resource planning, with Gartner projecting a 30% reduction in financial close cycles by 2028 as cloud ERP platforms embed generative and agentic AI. Santander and Mastercard demonstrated Europe’s first AI‑executed...
10 Payments Effectiveness Metrics Every Corporate Treasurer Should Track in Uncertain Times
Corporate treasurers are urged to expand beyond traditional efficiency measures and adopt ten payments effectiveness metrics that reveal how well transactions complete, where failures occur, and what risks persist. The metrics cover exceptions, processing time, authorization and success rates, chargebacks,...
Treasury Adapts as AI and Tariffs Reshape Supply Chains
Treasury teams are confronting a new era where AI, blockchain and tariff volatility are reshaping supply‑chain finance. A Citi Institute report finds 36% of large corporates now use AI in trade, with 72% seeking working‑capital gains and liquidity release. Tariff...
4 Ways to Strategically Manage Cash Flow
Effective cash‑flow management remains a top priority for finance leaders, with 43 % citing it as a key concern. Leveraging commercial cards enables early‑pay discounts, extending working capital and improving DPO and DSO. Negotiating longer supplier terms and deploying real‑time reporting...