Worldwide small business access to alternative finance increasing

23rd February 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly turning to alternative sources of financing,  according to a new OECD report. The report also shows that new bank lending is declining in a number of countries. Many SMEs remain over-reliant on bank credit, however, and the take-up of instruments other than straight debt varies greatly from one…

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Post-Brexit export markets may offer bad debt risk for UK firms

22nd February 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

Trade credit insurance specialist Euler Hermes has warned that future export market may prove to be a bad debt risk after Brexit. The findings come from Euler Hermes annual Collection Complexity Scores and Rating report, which measures the challenges of international debt collection procedures in 50 of the largest economies involved in global trade. The report…

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Western Europe leads the way in debt collection report

5th February 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

A new report published by Euler Hermes shows that western Europe is leading the way with debt collections procedures. The report titled “Collection Complexity Score and Rating” aims to measure the level of complexity relating to international debt collection procedures within 50 countries. Three main factors were analysed: local payment practices, local court proceedings and…

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UK businesses facing payments global freeze

15th January 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

The late payment culture knows no borders according to new research by MarketInvoice. The research shows that the proportion of UK invoices being paid late – and the amount of time taken to settle them by EU and USA firms – has risen dramatically between 2016 and 2017. The findings also reveal that 73% of…

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HMRC in danger of trying to do too much with too little

12th January 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

The report of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) into HMRC’s performance published today (12 January 2018) makes for sobering reading according to the ICAEW. The ICAEW responded to comments from the Chair Meg Hillier that highlights the risks that HMRC faces from undertaking the largest transformational programme in Europe while at the same time coping…

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Political and economic challenges remain for UK business in 2018

2nd January 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

The same external and internal political, economic and market challenges remain for businesses for this year as they did for 2017 according to the new research by ICAEW. Despite improved global conditions, uncertainty about the UK’s relationship with the EU continues to be the biggest concern for business. Key headline findings from the report include:…

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78% of German companies affected by delays in payments

12th December 2017 Commercial Credit Management |

A latest study by Coface has shown that, despite the solid position of the German economy and the decline in the number of corporate insolvencies, delays in payments are still commonplace. However, they have become less frequent when compared to the results in 2016. By international comparison, these delays are generally shorter in Germany. As…

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Business investment set to slow as uncertainty around Brexit persists

11th December 2017 Commercial Credit Management |

The pace of capital investment has fallen in 2017 and is forecast to slow even further in 2018 according to the latest ICAEW Economic Forecast. Business investment is forecast to be 2.1% this year, the second weakest since the global financial crisis. As companies continue to ‘wait and see’ what kind of post-Brexit settlement is…

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Insolvencies and restructuring rise in Poland

30th November 2017 Commercial Credit Management |

Poland’s corporate sector is benefitting from an acceleration in economic activity despite a rise in insolvencies and restrucuring according to the latest research by Coface. The report says that this is a reversal of last year’s situation, when the pace of economic growth was weaker. Poland recorded GDP growth of 3.8% in 2015, before falling…

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Half of businesses admit to paying suppliers late

27th November 2017 Commercial Credit Management |

Research reveals internal processes and a lack of automation are top causes of late payments to suppliers, above cash flow constraints. Slow internal processes and a lack of automation are among the biggest challenges for businesses when it comes to paying their suppliers on time, according to new research by Tungsten Network and the Institute of…

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BNP Paribas Asset Management announces alliance with Caple

17th November 2017 Commercial Credit Management |

Through a strategic alliance and the acquisition of a 10% stake in Caple, BNP Paribas Asset Management is providing an innovative platform to offer alternative credit to European small and medium-sized enterprises (‘SMEs’). Caple facilitates access to alternative credit for SMEs, working with international institutional investors to address gaps in the funding landscape by offering…

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UK based European businesses pay invoices quicker

8th November 2017 Commercial Credit Management |

Small European businesses based in the UK pay their invoices more than two days faster than their British counterpart according to research by Opal Transfer. The research shows EU businesses based in the UK, are 9% quicker to pay invoices than British owned business. EU firms based in the UK take 18.4 days on average…

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Insolvency reform needed as UK slips in World Bank rankings

1st November 2017 Commercial Credit Management |

The UK government needs to kick-start its stalled corporate insolvency reforms in the wake of the UK insolvency framework falling from 13th to 14th in the World Bank’s rankings according to insolvency and restructuring trade body, R3. R3 is warning that with other countries’ insolvency and restructuring frameworks improving, and with Brexit potentially creating barriers…

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