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COUNTRY RISK ASSESSMENT MAP - Q3 2021

The latest edition of the Coface Country Risk Map. Consult and download Coface's risk assessments of 162 countries across the world.

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WILL THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE METALS BOOM LAST?

Metals used in electric vehicles (EV, PHEV or BEV), mainly lithium, cobalt and copper, are highly demanded as they are at the forefront of a revolution in the automotive industry.

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COUNTRY & SECTOR RISK BAROMETER: Q2 2021 QUARTERLY UPDATE

A two-speed world A year and a half after the onset of the pandemic, access to vaccination is one of the most crucial factors in our daily lives.

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THE RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF VIRTUAL OFFSHORING

The pandemic will soon be over, but the cultural changes it has brought will continue to shape the economy for years to come. Among these, the normalization of remote work is one of the most consequential.

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China Payment Survey 2021: Shorter credit terms for most sectors except construction, food and automotive

Shorter credit terms for most sectors except construction, food and automotive

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COUNTRY & SECTOR RISK BAROMETER: Q4 2020 QUARTERLY UPDATE

A year after the first cases of COVID-19 appeared outside China, the uncertainties linked to the pandemic are still considerable despite the announcement of the arrival of several vaccines at the end of 2020.

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COUNTRY & SECTOR RISK BAROMETER: Q3 2020 QUARTERLY UPDATE

New edition of the country risk map. Consult, download and print the map of the 162 countries assessed by Coface.

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FOCUS: CAN CHINA SHIELD ITS ECONOMY FROM THE IMPACT OF COVID-19?

China will likely miss its 2020 growth target due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy.

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COUNTRY & SECTOR RISK BAROMETER: Q1 2020 QUARTERLY UPDATE

In the previous Coface quarterly barometer published on February 4, 2020, we anticipated that the main risks for the world economy in 2020 would be, paradoxically, of non-economic nature.

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THE "MADE IN RUSSIA" STRATEGY: A LIMITED INSTRUMENT FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION

Faced with fluctuations in hydrocarbon prices and economic sanctions from Western countries, Russia has developed a strategy that favours "Made in Russia" - but the results have remained mixed.

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AGRI-FOOD SECTOR OUTLOOK: IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY MARKED BY PROTECTIONIST TENSIONS, WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

Central to the current trade tensions, notably between the USA and China, the global agri-food sector is impacted by knock on effects, notably via downward trends on the prices of key agri-food commodities, such as soybean.

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COFACE FRANCE IS RECOGNIZED AS THE BEST CREDIT INSURANCE COMPANY IN 2019 BY INTERNATIONAL FINANCE MAGAZINE

Participating in this prestigious award for the first time, Coface France took the highest step on the podium, acknowledging the many initiatives deployed by Coface to better assist its customers.

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2019 SURVEY ON COMPANY PAYMENTS IN GERMANY: TURN OF THE TIDE

85% of companies report payment delays in 2019. This is an increase from 2017 by 7 percentage points.

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COFACE BAROMETER: GENERAL SLOWDOWN IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY DESPITE CENTRAL BANKS’ ACTIONS

With business morale being affected by a summer marked by a multiplication of areas of political uncertainty around the world, it seems likely that 2020 will be a year of economic decline.

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Corporate insolvencies in France: micro-entreprises in the wave’s trough

During the first four months of 2019, the rate of corporate insolvencies in France increased by +0.8%. This rate was particularly high during January and February, mainly due to the repercussions of the "gilets jaunes" (yellow vests) movement; however, the increasing rate of insolvencies declined in March and April. Nonetheless, Coface anticipates that, despite resilient economic growth, insolvencies will increase by +1.7% over the whole of 2019 (…)

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From copycat to early bird: Taking stock of China’s 5G ambitions

China has rapidly become a big player in 5G technology, thanks to the government’s strategy and its support of high investment in Research and Development (R&D). This new technology is part of the Made in China 2025 initiative, through which the Chinese government targets self-sufficiency in high-end industries. China coordinated its approach to 5G and some successes are already visible. For example, 40% of global patents for current 5G network standards are from Chinese firms. Moreover, Chinese companies are set to benefit from 5G. Huawei is the global leader in network infrastructures; it currently holds 29% of the market (...)

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Luxury market performance in global economic downturns: is this time different?

The luxury market is unique, mainly due to the fact that its products are consumed for social distinction. This has helped companies in the segment to outperform other sector-segments over the past years. Nevertheless, the luxury market is facing important challenges, notably regarding counterfeit products, a risk for companies, and e-commerce, which is disrupting how business is conducted. In addition, the market is not immune to challenging economic conditions. Global economic activity is currently experiencing a slowdown: Coface forecasts a global GDP growth rate of 2.9% in 2019 after 3.2% in 2018, and this will have an impact on some luxury products. Looking ahead, the rise of emerging markets’ middle classes – especially in China – presents great opportunities. Despite global economic slowdown, we are therefore expecting the luxury retail market overall to be resilient, notably benefiting from the rise of Chinese consumers’ appetite for luxury.

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Central Asia: is the ménage à trois with China and Russia sustainable?

Central Asia is both a partner and a trade gateway for China and Europe. It is located on two branches of the New Silk Road. Despite criticism, China is the most involved in the development of Central Asian corridors. This deployment is not obvious given the competition from other routes and poor regional cooperation. While Russian influence remains significant through expatriate remittances, its military bases, and culture, it is being supplanted by China in economic matters.

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Country risk assessment map - April 2019

New edition of the country risk map. Consult, download and print the map of the 161 countries assessed by Coface.

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The great industrial rotation continues - Country and Sector risks Barometer

Signs of the global economic slowdown continued to accumulate at the beginning of 2019: companies are much less confident than a year ago, and global trade is showing signs of fatigue.

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