trends

Trends in Bronchiolitis Hospitalizations in the United States, 2000-2009

Kohei Hasegawa
Jul 1, 2013; 132:28-36
ARTICLES




trends

Trends in the Prevalence of Developmental Disabilities in US Children, 1997-2008

Coleen A. Boyle
Jun 1, 2011; 127:1034-1042
ARTICLES




trends

Fin24.com | Money market performance trends

The best returns per sector.




trends

Supporting Delaware growers to meet third party food safety trends

Delaware fruit and vegetable growers can now receive financial support in obtaining a third party audit to verify they are following effective food safety practices. The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) is extending its Food Safety Audit Cost-Share Program for growers to include any third party food safety audit, not just USDA Harmonized GAP audits.




trends

Trends in Employing Overseas Scientists and Technicians in the UK

Employing foreign scientists and technicians and complying Home Office regulations is a difficult task for many UK laboratories. The United Kingdom is altogether suffering from skills shortages. The situation will be aggravated by decline of the EU workers.…




trends

4 Online Video Trends (And When To Use Them In Your Marketing)

In the rapidly-growing video marketing space, it's essential to stay ahead of emerging trends




trends

4 Online Video Trends (And When To Use Them In Your Marketing)

In the rapidly-growing video marketing space, it's essential to stay ahead of emerging trends




trends

IBM AI – Watson’s role must be expanded to data analysis and forecasting trends

ICMR, at present, is only using Watson for backend reporting, but it also needs to deploy it for data analysis and forecasting trends.




trends

Wally Rhines: Predicting Semiconductor Business Trends After Moore's Law

I recently attended a webinar presented by Wally Rhines about his new book, Predicting Semiconductor Business Trends After Moore's Law . Wally was the CEO of Mentor, as you probably know. Now he...

[[ Click on the title to access the full blog on the Cadence Community site. ]]




trends

6 key trends in sustainable and renewable energy

The 2019 Sustainable Energy in America factbook was released this week by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BloombergNEF) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE). The factbook highlights a number of key trends in sustainable and renewable energy growth, emissions and jobs in the sector. Take a glance at the six charts below to learn more.




trends

Projecting 2018 Trends and Macroeconomic Conditions: What to Expect for Renewable Energy Projects in 2019

Renewable energy projects were marked by distinctive trends and characteristics in 2018: frothy M&A market driven by a crush of liquidity and a shortage of project supply; a highly competitive environment among investors and lenders for an inadequate supply of projects...




trends

6 key trends in sustainable and renewable energy

The 2019 Sustainable Energy in America factbook was released this week by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BloombergNEF) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE). The factbook highlights a number of key trends in sustainable and renewable energy growth, emissions and jobs in the sector. Take a glance at the six charts below to learn more.




trends

US Solar Celebrates Records in 2013, Big Trends Coming in 2014

Solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in the U.S. topped 4.78 GW in 2013, an increase of 41 percent over 2012, according to the annual market review and outlook published today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research. The industry won't quite maintain that torrid pace in 2014, but watch for progress on a number of important fronts, from long-anticipated investment innovation to a rebound in the midsize project sector to addressing changes to federal investment tax credits.





trends

Bosnia and Herzegovina Power Market Outlook to 2030 - Market Trends, Regulation and Competitive Landscape

The Report Bosnia and Herzegovina Power Market Outlook to 2030 - Market Trends, Regulation and Competitive Landscape provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz




trends

6 key trends in sustainable and renewable energy

The 2019 Sustainable Energy in America factbook was released this week by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BloombergNEF) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE). The factbook highlights a number of key trends in sustainable and renewable energy growth, emissions and jobs in the sector. Take a glance at the six charts below to learn more.





trends

Law & Business 2017. Key changes. Trends and challenges

We are pleased to present to you our brochure which reviews the changes in the Polish law that we believe will have a major impact on business in Poland in 2017.



trends

Coronavirus - Webinar – Financial services post-COVID19: Trends in disputes and enforcement - UK

Listen as our panel answer some of the most common questions on post-COVID19 litigation trends - this was presented in conjunction with Ankura. A recording of the session can be listened to here. In this session we explored: a review of the economi...




trends

Coronavirus is accelerating eight challenging mega trends

We are about to experience the next 20 years in 12 months, and we need to get ready for it, according to a former British foreign secretary.




trends

APT trends report Q1 2020

For more than two years, the Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) at Kaspersky has been publishing quarterly summaries of advanced persistent threat (APT) activity. This is our latest installment, focusing on activities that we observed during Q1 2020.




trends

Top 10 Food Trends: Hip May Not Mean Healthy

Title: Top 10 Food Trends: Hip May Not Mean Healthy
Category: Health News
Created: 4/26/2011 1:54:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 4/26/2011 12:00:00 AM




trends

Global Trends in Proteome Remodeling of the Outer Membrane Modulate Antimicrobial Permeability in Klebsiella pneumoniae

ABSTRACT

In Gram-negative bacteria, the permeability of the outer membrane governs rates of antibiotic uptake and thus the efficacy of antimicrobial treatment. Hydrophilic drugs like β-lactam antibiotics depend on diffusion through pore-forming outer membrane proteins to reach their intracellular targets. In this study, we investigated the distribution of porin genes in more than 2,700 Klebsiella isolates and found a widespread loss of OmpK35 functionality, particularly in those strains isolated from clinical environments. Using a defined set of outer-membrane-remodeled mutants, the major porin OmpK35 was shown to be largely responsible for β-lactam permeation. Sequence similarity network analysis characterized the porin protein subfamilies and led to discovery of a new porin family member, OmpK38. Structure-based comparisons of OmpK35, OmpK36, OmpK37, OmpK38, and PhoE showed near-identical pore frameworks but defining differences in the sequence characteristics of the extracellular loops. Antibiotic sensitivity profiles of isogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, each expressing a different porin as its dominant pore, revealed striking differences in the antibiotic permeability characteristics of each channel in a physiological context. Since K. pneumoniae is a nosocomial pathogen with high rates of antimicrobial resistance and concurrent mortality, these experiments elucidate the role of porins in conferring specific drug-resistant phenotypes in a global context, informing future research to combat antimicrobial resistance in K. pneumoniae.

IMPORTANCE Klebsiella pneumoniae is a pathogen of humans with high rates of mortality and a recognized global rise in incidence of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP). The outer membrane of K. pneumoniae forms a permeability barrier that modulates the ability of antibiotics to reach their intracellular target. OmpK35, OmpK36, OmpK37, OmpK38, PhoE, and OmpK26 are porins in the outer membrane of K. pneumoniae, demonstrated here to have a causative relationship to drug resistance phenotypes in a physiological context. The data highlight that currently trialed combination treatments with a carbapenem and β-lactamase inhibitors could be effective on porin-deficient K. pneumoniae. Together with structural data, the results reveal the role of outer membrane proteome remodeling in antimicrobial resistance of K. pneumoniae and point to the role of extracellular loops, not channel parameters, in drug permeation. This significant finding warrants care in the development of phage therapies for K. pneumoniae infections, given the way porin expression will be modulated to confer phage-resistant—and collateral drug-resistant—phenotypes in K. pneumoniae.




trends

Trends in Outpatient Procedural Sedation: 2007-2018

BACKGROUND:

Pediatric subspecialists routinely provide procedural sedation outside the operating room. No large study has reported trends in outpatient pediatric procedural sedation. Our purpose in this study was to identify significant trends in outpatient procedural sedation using the Pediatric Sedation Research Consortium.

METHODS:

Prospectively collected data from 2007 to 2018 were used for trending procedural sedation. Patient characteristics, medications, type of providers, serious adverse events, and interventions were reported. The Cochran–Armitage test for trend was used to explore the association between the year and a given characteristic.

RESULTS:

A total of 432 842 sedation encounters were identified and divided into 3 4-year epochs (2007–2011, 2011–2014, and 2014–2018). There was a significant decrease in infants <3 months of age receiving procedural sedation (odds ratio = 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.96–0.98). A large increase was noticed in pediatric hospitalists providing procedural sedation (0.6%–9.5%; P < .001); there was a decreasing trend in sedation by other providers who were not in emergency medicine, critical care, or anesthesiology (13.9%–3.9%; P < .001). There was an increasing trend in the use of dexmedetomidine (6.3%–9.3%; P < .001) and a decreasing trend in the use of chloral hydrate (6.3%–0.01%; P < .001) and pentobarbital (7.3%–0.5%; P < .001). Serious adverse events showed a nonsignificant increase overall (1.35%–1.75%).

CONCLUSIONS:

We report an increase in pediatric hospitalists providing sedation and a significant decrease in the use of chloral hydrate and pentobarbital by providers. Further studies are required to see if sedation services decrease costs and optimize resource use.




trends

Secular Trends in Information Communications Technology: Access, Use, and Attitudes of Young and Older Patients With Diabetes

Background

Advances in information communications technology (ICT) provide opportunities for enhanced diabetes care. Knowledge of the more acceptable communication modalities in patients of different ages will help to inform the direction of future innovations.

Methods

An anonymous ICT survey (examining access and use of mobile phones, computers, tablets, and the Internet and attitudes toward e-mail, Web-based consultations, and online peer-support) was conducted at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Diabetes Centre in Sydney, Australia. Survey deployment occurred during 4-month periods in 2012 and 2017. Respondents were stratified by current age (<40 or ≥40 years).

Results

A total of 614 unselected patients (20% with type 1 diabetes, 55% with type 2 diabetes, 13% with gestational diabetes mellitus, and 12% with an undisclosed type of diabetes) completed the survey. Access to ICT increased from 89% in 2012 to 97% in 2017. The most commonly owned device was a mobile phone (87% ownership in 2017). Increase in mobile Internet usage in the <40 years of age subgroup was significant (P = 0.04). Significant increases in Internet access and smartphone feature use were observed in patients aged ≥40 years (P ≤0.001 for all). Overall use of short message service (SMS, or text messaging) was high (90 and 80% for ages <40 and ≥40 years, respectively). Use of digital applications was low, even among the young (45% in 2017). Comfort with online consultations (40%) and support groups (32%) was also low.

Conclusion

Access to and acceptance and use of ICT is high, especially in those <40 years of age; however, the greatest increases were seen in those aged ≥40 years. High penetrance of mobile phones and text messaging in all age-groups would suggest that innovations involving an SMS platform have the greatest potential to enhance diabetes care.




trends

Trends in Emergency Department Visits and Inpatient Admissions for Hyperglycemic Crises in Adults With Diabetes in the U.S., 2006-2015

OBJECTIVE

To report U.S. national population-based rates and trends in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHS) among adults, in both the emergency department (ED) and inpatient settings.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We analyzed data from 1 January 2006 through 30 September 2015 from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample and National Inpatient Sample to characterize ED visits and inpatient admissions with DKA and HHS. We used corresponding year cross-sectional survey data from the National Health Interview Survey to estimate the number of adults ≥18 years with diagnosed diabetes to calculate population-based rates for DKA and HHS in both ED and inpatient settings. Linear trends from 2009 to 2015 were assessed using Joinpoint software.

RESULTS

In 2014, there were a total of 184,255 and 27,532 events for DKA and HHS, respectively. The majority of DKA events occurred in young adults aged 18–44 years (61.7%) and in adults with type 1 diabetes (70.6%), while HHS events were more prominent in middle-aged adults 45–64 years (47.5%) and in adults with type 2 diabetes (88.1%). Approximately 40% of the hyperglycemic events were in lower-income populations. Overall, event rates for DKA significantly increased from 2009 to 2015 in both ED (annual percentage change [APC] 13.5%) and inpatient settings (APC 8.3%). A similar trend was seen for HHS (APC 16.5% in ED and 6.3% in inpatient). The increase was in all age-groups and in both men and women.

CONCLUSIONS

Causes of increased rates of hyperglycemic events are unknown. More detailed data are needed to investigate the etiology and determine prevention strategies.




trends

Trends in Bone Mineral Density, Osteoporosis, and Osteopenia Among U.S. Adults With Prediabetes, 2005-2014

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate trends in bone mineral density (BMD) and the prevalence of osteoporosis/osteopenia in U.S. adults with prediabetes and normal glucose regulation (NGR) and further investigate the association among prediabetes, osteopenia/osteoporosis, and fracture.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We collected and analyzed data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys during the period from 2005 to 2014. Femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD data were available for 5,310 adults with prediabetes and 5,162 adults with NGR >40 years old.

RESULTS

A shift was observed toward a lower BMD and a higher prevalence of osteopenia/osteoporosis at the femoral neck and lumbar spine in U.S. adults >40 years old with prediabetes since 2005, especially in men <60 and women ≥60 years old. A shift toward a higher prevalence of osteopenia/osteoporosis at the femoral neck was also observed in adults >40 years old with NGR. Moreover, prediabetes was associated with a higher prevalence of hip fracture, although participants with prediabetes had higher BMD and a lower prevalence of osteopenia/osteoporosis at the femoral neck.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a declining trend in BMD from 2005 to 2014 in U.S. adults >40 years old with prediabetes and NGR, and this trend was more significant in men <60 years old. Populations with prediabetes may be exposed to relatively higher BMD but a higher prevalence of fracture.




trends

Authorship Trends in the American Journal of Neuroradiology [LETTERS]




trends

Three new trends of property investment in 2015

Along with the recovery of market, property investment also rebounds with new trends. Here are three new trends of property investment that become more and more popular in 2015.




trends

Smart Education And Learning Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Age, By Component, By Learning Mode, By End User, By Region And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027

Smart Education And Learning Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Age, By Component (Hardware, Software, Service), By Learning Mode, By End User, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05891723/?utm_source=PRN The global smart education and learning market size is expected to reach USD 680.1 billion by 2027. The market is anticipated to witness a CAGR of 17.9% from 2020 to 2027. Demand for smart education and learning solutions is increasing among the growing population in corporate and academic sectors, owing to benefits such as improved education quality and easy access to educational content. Increasing adoption of consumer electronics, such as smartphones, e-readers, laptops, and e-learning applications, has altered conventional education methodology and has enhanced the efficiency of an individual to learn. Additionally, there are enormous opportunities for advancements in the market, owing to improved internet accessibility.Also, the COVID - 19 outbreak has emerged an opportunity for the market with an increasing number of states and countries closing educational institutes. For instance, over 90.0% of the world's students are not attending their schools due to this pandemic, as mentioned by UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). Commonwealth of Learning (COL), an intergovernmental organization of The Commonwealth (Canada), has supported educational institutions and governments in building robust distance education solutions for quality e-learning practices. However, lack of awareness among end-users about the latest technologies and inadequate amount of resources for delivering quality education in developing regions is anticipated to hinder market growth.The simulation-based learning segment is anticipated to exhibit the highest CAGR because this mode enables corporate professional and educational institutions to create a realistic experience in a controlled environment.It also allows professionals and learners to practice, navigate, explore, and obtain more information through a virtual medium before they start working on real-life tasks.Growing awareness among people and the rising popularity of smart education are encouraging solution providers to invest in research and development for creating more reliable, better, and cost-effective solutions. Manufacturers are making substantial investments in developing new products for enhancing the user experience.Smart education and learning market report highlights:• Growing demand for smart educational practices can be accredited to factors, such as reducing expenses of online training, curbing geographic challenges in physically attending classes, and time constraints faced by aspirants• Increasing penetration of the Internet of Things (IoT), enhanced internet accessibility, and rapid adoption of mobile technology have encouraged users to adopt smart education and learning solutions• Innovative techniques, such as gamification, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), microlearning, and adaptive learning, which improve the overall educational process, are expected to drive the market over the projected period• North America accounted for the largest market share in 2019 owing to its large consumer base for e-learning methodsRead the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05891723/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001





trends

From album dressing to Percy Pig ice-cream: this week's fashion trends

What’s hot and what’s not in fashion this week

Kaia As in Gerber, who joins the likes of Alexa and Jane Birkin – she now has a bag named after her, by Saint Laurent. Style icon status: confirmed.

Continue reading...




trends

Coronavirus bingeing: YouTube trends show spike in every-day task tutorials

YouTube has seen a spike in content built on sharing the mundane, often isolating experiences of people's daily lives.

      




trends

These will be the biggest post-pandemic wedding trends

From statement veils to dial-in guests, we tap into the future of weddings




trends

Zoom-worthy bling: the 2020 jewellery trends to try now

With waist-up fashion high on the agenda, nailing the jewellery game is your one-way ticket to conference call chic




trends

#AskAntony trends as Australia falls into existential crisis

It has been days since Australia voted in its federal election, but still no winner has been declared. The frustration is real, so the country is doing what it does. Namely, making funny jokes on social media.

Antony Green, ABC's election analyst, is Australia's version of Paul the psychic octopusHe has a pretty good record of picking winners, and helpfully, he has a website that asks one simple question: "Has Antony Green called the election" 

The answer for days now has been an emphatic, "No."

They tried to make me go to rehab. What should I say? #AskAntony pic.twitter.com/xBvcEnrSUR

— Andrew Sholl (@andrewsholl) July 6, 2016 Read more...

More about Twitter, Australia, Australian Politics, Australian Prime Minister, and Australian Election




trends

Newcastle takeover latest: &apos;#NUFCTakeover&apos; trends on Twitter amid reports Mike Ashley is set to sell club

Fresh speculation has emerged that Newcastle United could be on the verge of a takeover by Amanda Staveley's PCP Capital Partners.




trends

4 Tech Trends for the New Hotel Age

For businesses serving the hospitality sector, growth relies on implementing and capitalizing modernized systems to improve processes and increase guest satisfaction. These are the four most important strategies to achieve this goal in 2020.

Keep on reading: 4 Tech Trends for the New Hotel Age




trends

Elsevier: Challenges and Trends to Watch in 2020 (Guest Post)

Today’s guest post comes from Trygve Anderson, Vice President of Commercial Pharmacy at Elsevier.

Trygve discusses trends and challenges to watch in 2020, including drug pricing transparency, the approval and interchangeability of biosimilars, and stakeholder access to timely and accurate data.

Learn more about Elsevier’s information analytics capabilities from its video: Evaluating Drug Data Yields Business Value.

Read on for Trygve’s insights.
Read more »
        




trends

Recent Weight Management Ingredient Research Reflects Emerging Trends

Emphasis on fat and protein intake, reduced carbohydrate intake and gut health for managing weight are trends affecting the global weight management category.




trends

10 years of biosimilars: lessons and trends




trends

Changing trends of ocular trauma in the time of COVID-19 pandemic




trends

Generational trends in US opioid-overdose deaths




trends

Trends in online disinformation campaigns

Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika, discusses two main trends in online disinformation campaigns: the decline of large scale, state-sponsored operations and the rise of small scale, homegrown copycats.

       




trends

Trends in online disinformation campaigns

Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika, discusses two main trends in online disinformation campaigns: the decline of large scale, state-sponsored operations and the rise of small scale, homegrown copycats.

       




trends

Trends in online disinformation campaigns

Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika, discusses two main trends in online disinformation campaigns: the decline of large scale, state-sponsored operations and the rise of small scale, homegrown copycats.

       




trends

Trends in online disinformation campaigns

Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika, discusses two main trends in online disinformation campaigns: the decline of large scale, state-sponsored operations and the rise of small scale, homegrown copycats.

       




trends

Trends in online disinformation campaigns

Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika, discusses two main trends in online disinformation campaigns: the decline of large scale, state-sponsored operations and the rise of small scale, homegrown copycats.

       




trends

The Re-Emergence of Concentrated Poverty: Metropolitan Trends in the 2000s


As the first decade of the 2000s drew to a close, the two downturns that bookended the period, combined with slow job growth between, clearly took their toll on the nation’s less fortunate residents.

Over a ten-year span, the country saw the poor population grow by 12.3 million, driving the total number of Americans in poverty to a historic high of 46.2 million. By the end of the decade, over 15 percent of the nation’s population lived below the federal poverty line—$22,314 for a family of four in 2010—though these increases did not occur evenly throughout the country.

An analysis of data on neighborhood poverty from the 2005–09 American Community Surveys and Census 2000 reveals that:

After declining in the 1990s, the population in extreme-poverty neighborhoods—where at least 40 percent of individuals live below the poverty line—rose by one-third from 2000 to 2005–09. By the end of the period, 10.5 percent of poor people nationwide lived in such neighborhoods, up from 9.1 percent in 2000, but still well below the 14.1 percent rate in 1990.


To view an interactive version of this map, please download Adobe Flash Player version 9.0 and a browser with javascript enabled.



People Living in Extreme Poverty Tracts 2005 2009

Concentrated poverty nearly doubled in Midwestern metro areas from 2000 to 2005–09, and rose by one-third in Southern metro areas. The Great Lakes metro areas of Toledo, Youngstown, Detroit, and Dayton ranked among those experiencing the largest increases in concentrated poverty rates, while the South was home to metro areas posting both some of the largest increases (El Paso, Baton Rouge, and Jackson) and decreases (McAllen, Virginia Beach, and Charleston). At the same time, concentrated poverty declined in Western metro areas, a trend which may have reversed in the wake of the late 2000s housing crisis.


To view an interactive version of this map, please download Adobe Flash Player version 9.0 and a browser with javascript enabled.



Concentrated Poverty in the Nation's Top 100 Metro Areas

The population in extreme-poverty neighborhoods rose more than twice as fast in suburbs as in cities from 2000 to 2005–09. The same is true of poor residents in extreme-poverty tracts, who increased by 41 percent in suburbs, compared to 17 percent in cities. However, poor people in cities remain more than four times as likely to live in concentrated poverty as their suburban counterparts.

The shift of concentrated poverty to the Midwest and South in the 2000s altered the average demographic profile of extreme-poverty neighborhoods. Compared to 2000, residents of extreme-poverty neighborhoods in 2005–09 were more likely to be white, native-born, high school or college graduates, homeowners, and not receiving public assistance. However, black residents continued to comprise the largest share of the population in these neighborhoods (45 percent), and over two-thirds of residents had a high school diploma or less.

The recession-induced rise in poverty in the late 2000s likely further increased the concentration of poor individuals into neighborhoods of extreme poverty. While the concentrated poverty rate in large metro areas grew by half a percentage point between 2000 and 2005–09, estimates suggest the concentrated poverty rate rose by 3.5 percentage points in 2010 alone, to reach 15.1 percent. Some of the steepest estimated increases compared to 2005–09 occurred in Sun Belt metro areas like Cape Coral, Fresno, Modesto, and Palm Bay, and in Midwestern places like Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, and Akron.

These trends suggest the strong economy of the late 1990s did not permanently resolve the challenge of concentrated poverty. The slower economic growth of the 2000s, followed by the worst downturn in decades, led to increases in neighborhoods of extreme poverty once again throughout the nation, particularly in suburban and small metropolitan communities and in the Midwest. Policies that foster balanced and sustainable economic growth at the regional level, and that forge connections between growing clusters of low-income neighborhoods and regional economic opportunity, will be key to longer-term progress against concentrated disadvantage.

Downloads

Video

Authors

Image Source: Shannon Stapleton
      
 
 




trends

COVID-19 trends from Germany show different impacts by gender and age

The world is in the midst of a global pandemic and all countries have been impacted significantly. In Europe, the most successful policy response to the pandemic has been by Germany, as measured by the decline in new COVID-19 cases in recent weeks and consistent increase in recovered’ cases. This is also reflected in the…

       




trends

Trends and Developments in African Frontier Bond Markets


Most sub-Saharan African countries have long had to rely on foreign assistance or loans from international financial institutions to supply part of their foreign currency needs and finance part of their domestic investment, given their low levels of domestic saving. But now many of them, for the first time, are able to borrow in international financial markets, selling so-called eurobonds, which are usually denominated in dollars or euros. 

The sudden surge in the demand for international sovereign bonds issued by countries in a region that contains some of the world’s poorest countries is due to a variety of factors—including rapid growth and better economic policies in the region, high commodity prices, and low global interest rates. Increased global liquidity as well as investors’ diversification needs, at a time when the correlation between many global assets has increased, has also helped increase the attractiveness of the so-called “frontier” markets, including those in sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, the issuance of international sovereign bonds is part of a number of African countries’ strategies to restructure their debt, finance infrastructure investments, and establish sovereign benchmarks to help develop the sub-sovereign and corporate bond market. The development of the domestic sovereign bond market in many countries has also help strengthen the technical capacity of finance ministries and debt management offices to issue international debt.

Whether the rash of borrowing by sub-Saharan governments (as well as a handful of corporate entities in the region) is sustainable over the medium to long term, however, is open to question. The low interest rate environment is set to change at some point—both raising borrowing costs for the countries and reducing investor interest. In addition, oil prices are falling, which makes it harder for oil-producing countries to service or refinance their loans. In the medium term, heady economic growth may not continue if debt proceeds are only mostly used for current spending, and debt is not adequately managed.

Download the full paper (PDF) »

Authors