Friday Five

We highlight 20 EM stocks whose structural growth trajectories received a pandemic boost. Not all have achieved cash flow sustainability, but growth-starved investors are proving to be extremely forgiving.

With major institutional finance entering the market, Bitcoin is firmly a store of value, not a means of exchange. Cryptographic, blockchain central bank digital currencies could bridge the gap and enhance monetary policy credibility.

We present a debt sustainability index for 46 emerging & frontier markets to flag countries with a high risk of distress.

The State Bank of Payments has launched a payments infrastructure system, Raast, to promote digital payments and improve financial inclusion. New payments startups will be beneficiaries, but tech-savvy banks could also benefit.

Nigeria has failed to solve its energy crisis despite the power sector’s privatisation in 2013. We highlight nine companies that are now rising to the challenge and providing unique solutions across the value chain.