Caucasus Businessforecast Industry Forecast

The Caucasus Business Forecast Report provides essential macroeconomic, political and financial analysis for companies doing business in the Caucasus. The Caucasus Business Forecast Report helps businesses with regional market assessment, strategic planning and decision making to promote growth and profitability in the Caucasus and is an essential tool for CEOs, Chairmen, Finance Directors/CFOs, Managing Directors, Marketing/Sales Directors with commercial interests in this emerging market.

An influential new analysis of the Caucasus' political, economic and financial prospects through end-2012, just published by award-winning forecasters, Business Monitor International.

 

 

 

Key Uses of the Caucasus Business Forecast Report | The Caucasus' Political Outlook | The Caucasus' Economic Outlook | The Caucasus' Business Environment | Key Caucasus Industry Sectors | Caucasus BMI's Executive Summary | Our Europe Subscribers | Full Range of BMI's Business Forecast Reports

Key Uses for the Caucasus Business Forecast Report

  • Forecast the pace and stability of the Caucasus' economic and industry growth through end-2012
  • Identify and evaluate adverse political and economic trends in the Caucasus, to facilitate risk mitigation strategies
  • Assess critical shortcomings of the Caucasus' business environment that pose hidden barriers and costs to corporate profitability
  • Contextualise the Caucasus' country risks against Europe regional peers using BMI's country comparative risk ratings system
  • Target business opportunities in the Caucasus' high-growth industry sectors
  • Evaluate external threats to doing business in the Caucasus, including currency volatility, the commodity price boom and protectionist policies

The Caucasus Business Forecast Report by Business Monitor International includes four major sections: Caucasus Political Outlook, Caucasus Economic Outlook, Caucasus Business Environment and Caucasus Key Industry Sectors.

The Caucasus' Political Outlook:

What are the political risks to doing business in the Caucasus over the next 5 years?

BMI's Caucasus Country Risk Ratings evaluate the short and medium-term threats posed by government instability, adverse economic policy-making, deterioration in the business environment and external shocks.

Caucasus Political Outlook Contents

  • SWOT Analysis for the Caucasian Market
    Political Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats facing the Caucasus.
  • Political Stability and Risk Assessment for the Caucasus
    BMI's Risk Ratings assess explicit short and long-term risks to political stability; latest ratings, rankings and trends for the Caucasus' risk are compared with Europe regional and global averages.
  • Current Administration and Policy-making in the Caucasus
    BMI profiles key policy-makers and power-brokers in regional governments, assessing threats to the continuity of regional economic policy, and likely changes to the business operating environment through end-2012.
  • Regional Foreign Policy
    BMI examines key trends and shifts in the Caucasus' foreign relations and alignments with Europe neighbours, the United States and Europe, focusing on external influences.

Key Benefits

  1. Benchmark the Caucasus' risk profile against its neighbours, the global and regional average, allowing easy comparison of risks between key business markets.
  2. Identify, evaluate and anticipate political and security risks to the business environment in the Caucasus, and to your company's current operations and future plans.
  3. Gain valuable insights into regional government and policy-making, through BMI's specialist team of analysts and economists, and their exclusive network of private and public sector sources.

The Caucasus' Economic Outlook:

How will regional economic policy-making and performance impact corporate profitability over 2008-12?

BMI provides fully independent 5-year forecasts for the Caucasus through end-2012 for more than 35 macroeconomic variables. We evaluate regional growth, and also forecast the impact of economic management, including central bank policy, on profitability.

Caucasus Economic Outlook Contents

The Caucasus Business Forecast Report features explicit BMI economic forecasts for theCaucasus, with supporting commentary and analysis, for end-2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 set against regional government views. Underpinning our Caucasus forecasts are key assumptions for the global economy through end-2012, covering growth, inflation, employment, trade and investment, interest and exchange rates in the US, Japan and the Euro-zone.

Coverage of Key Economic Issues in the the Caucasus

  • Economic Activity in the Caucasus
    Real GDP growth; industrial growth; employment growth; inflation and consumer prices; consumption (indicative wages, retail sales, consumer confidence)
  • Fiscal Policy in the Caucasus
    Current macroeconomic strategy and implementation policies; government finance (revenue, expenditure, budget balance); tax reforms
  • Monetary Policy in the Caucasus
    Interest rate trends (bank lending and deposit rates); inflation (retail price inflation, consumer price inflation); exchange rate policy in the Caucasus; regional currency controls; influence of foreign direct investment inflows; exchange rates and foreign exchange reserves
  • Balance of Payments in the Caucasus
    Merchandise trade (exports, imports, trade balance); current account balance
  • Foreign Direct Investment in the Caucasus
    Foreign direct investment approvals and inflows; the foreign investment climate
  • Regional External Debt
    Debt profile (short- and long-term debt; public and private sector exposure)

Key Benefits

  1. Rely upon BMI's 100% independent Forecast Scenarios for the Caucasus and underlying assumptions - we take no advertising and are privately-owned.
  2. Exploit the benefits of BMI's comprehensive and reliable macroeconomic Caucasus database, sourced and fully maintained by BMI from an extensive network of private sector, government and multilateral contacts.
  3. Gain key insights into the current and future direction of regional government economic policy

The Caucasus' Business Environment:

How internationally competitive is the Caucasus' regulatory environment, and what changes can be expected?

BMI assesses levels of transparency, flexibility of labour market, tax burden, development of the banking sector and credit availability, infrastructure and IT, foreign investment regime and trade liberalisation in the Caucasus.

Caucasus Business Environment Contents

  • Caucasus Business Environment Risk Rating with SWOT Analysis
    Short and long-term business environment risk ratings for the Caucasus, benchmarked against ratings for Europe and neighbouring countries.
  • Country Competitiveness for the Caucasus
    Competitiveness of the Caucasus' business operating environment in supporting corporate growth and profitability over the 5-year forecast horizon, compared with regional neighbours.

Coverage of Key Business Environment Issues in the Caucasus' Domestic Environment

Transparency, cronyism and corruption; labour market flexibility; corporate tax burden; interest rate levels; access of private sector to lines of credit; sophistication of banking sector and stock market; levels of business confidence; infrastructure and IT

  • Foreign Direct Investment in the Caucasus
    Analysis of foreign investment regime, foreign ownership laws; attractiveness of business environment to foreign investors; review of major foreign direct investments over the last 24 months, and of strategic sectors attracting most interest
  • Foreign Trade with the Caucasus
    Analysis of trading environment, government trade policy, liberalisation measures, tariffs and membership of trade areas

The Caucasus' Key Industry Sectors

Which industry sectors in the Caucasus will grow fastest, and where are the major investment opportunities in the regional market?

BMI targets investment opportunities in the Caucasus' high growth industries, including automotives, food and drink, infrastructure, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, telecommunications and IT.

Coverage of the Caucasus' Key Industry Sectors - Regional Market Overview

Size, value and structure of industry; impact of liberalisation and privatisation on sector performance and prospects; friendliness of business environment

  • Latest Developments in the Caucasus
    Review of latest projects, deals, privatisations, mergers and acquisitions, and implications for sector performance; company rankings for national and multinational companies in the Caucasus; main industry players by local sales, employee size, market share and main brands, products and services
  • 5-year Industry Forecast for the Caucasus
    Historic dataset (2003-2007) and BMI forecasts through end-2012, covering headline industry data broken out by sub sector

Key Benefits

  1. Target strategic sector-by-sector opportunities in the Caucasus' high growth industries, attracting public expenditure and foreign investment; identify key players and competitors driving growth, investment and business opportunities.
  2. Benefit from competitive intelligence on top national and multinational companies operating in the Caucasus' major industry sectors, including analysis of recent trends in sales and market share, company strategies, product launches and latest deals.

Who buys the Europe Business Forecast Reports?

The Caucasus Business Forecast Report is an essential tool for CEOs, Chairmen, Finance Directors/CFOs, Managing Directors, Marketing/Sales Directors with commercial interests in the Caucasus.

Our Business Forecast Reports are relied upon by corporates, banks, government departments and multinational organisations around the world.

Business Monitor International's Business Forecast Report subscribers include:

Abbott International, Air Liquide, Akzo Nobel, Alcatel, Alpha Cement Group, Atlas Copco, BASF, British American Tobacco Company, Coca-Cola HBC, Colgate Palmolive Romania, Deloitte & Touche, Ericsson Telecommunications Bulgaria Ltd, Ernst & Young, Exxonmobil Ltd, Heineken Brewery, Hewlett- Packard Slovakia, S.r.o, Indesit Company, Microsoft Software, Novartis Pharma Services Inc, Omnitel, Opus Land Development SA, Provident Financial, Raiffeisen Bank, Robert Bosch Elektronika Kft., Siemens Srl, Xerox Ltd 

 

"The Risk Rating sections of the report provides a swift means of seeing where things have changed. It allows a quick initial evaluation without having to go into the details at that stage. A focused approach can then be taken to understanding the variations by review of the specific details."
Int. Development Manger, Lloyds Register EMEA, UAE.

BMI's Executive Summary for the Caucasus

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Inflation And Elections Key Risks In 2008

The Caucasus region as a whole is forecast to continue exhibiting strong real GDP growth in 2008. That said, the dynamics of the growth are expected to remain distinct among the three economies of the region. Azerbaijan will continue to be dominated by the energy sector, with planned output expansions underpinning double-digit economic expansion for the fourth straight year. Georgia will remain the main beneficiary of non-energy related foreign capital inflows, alongside the country's increasingly favourable business environment. Armenia will likely see a continuation of domesticdemand oriented growth, though with increasing emphasis placed on attracting FDI. In spite of the differences in growth dynamics, all Caucasus economies have faced increasing inflationary pressures in 2007, and this is likely to remain the core risk going forward. Not only will rising inflation hit real economic growth and private wealth levels but it also poses a political risk, with inflation likely to become major election issues in all three countries.

2008 is set to be a pivotal year for the region with presidential elections due to be held in all three Caucasus countries. While our core view is for the incumbents (or their close allies) to win each election, the campaigns are still likely to be contentious affairs and the results are by no means completely certain. This is especially the case in Georgia, where mass opposition-led protests over corruption and living standards during the latter part of 2007, have significantly undermined the stability of the current administration led by President Mikhail Saakashvili.

We remain positive on the Armenian dram, Georgian lari and Azeri manat with steady nominal appreciation forecast through the medium term. To be sure, part of the recent gains seen in these currencies has been due to persisting dollar weakness, though we also highlight the fundamentally positive macroeconomic profiles in the Caucasus region as the primary reason to be bullish these currencies. Indeed, foreign capital inflows, especially in Azerbaijan and Georgia are expected to remain robust going forward, sustaining high demand for locally-denominated securities and assets.

Opportunities to gain investment exposure to the Caucasus are forecast to continue improving through 2008. Azerbaijan will likely push forward on its long-planned Eurobond, estimated to be valued around US$500mn, sometime in the first half of the year, while a new Georgian corporate listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) will provide investors with a further equity opportunity. Internet firm Caucasus Online has announced plans to raise US$100mn on the LSE in April 2008, making it the second Georgian firm to list on a foreign market. This is an encouraging development which will help to improve access to capital in Georgia as well as develop business practices along international best practices.

Read about our other Business Forecast Reports  

Asia

Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

Europe

Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Caucasus, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan & Central Asia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine

Middle East

Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon & Syria, Kuwait, Oman & Yemen, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Africa

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Francophone West Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, North Africa, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

North & South America

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, East Caribbean, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela, West Caribbean

 

Business Monitor International

Business Monitor International
A Market Leader in Country Risk, Industry Intelligence and Company Research

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BUSINESS MONITOR INTERNATIONAL's country risk analysis and forecasts, market research on leading industries, and multinational company research is relied upon by corporates, banks, government departments and multilateral organisations in over 125 countries around the world.

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has for 25 years specialised in political risk analysis, financial markets analysis, and macroeconomic forecasts on 175 global markets.

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