Absolute Systems offers a payment switch for deposits in South Africa

Absolute Systems, a South African ATM software developer, has launched Imali, a payment switch for secure deposits, consisting of a switch and a strongbox for use in secure environments to which small retailers have access. The attractions of the Imali service are security, since the cash becomes the responsibility of the bank once it is in the strongbox, and also its real-time capability.

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Big Pharma rushing for foothold in emerging markets despite challenges

Faced with dwindling growth rates in the US and Europe, drug companies are turning their attention towards emerging pharmaceutical markets where recent economic booms have fuelled double-digit growth. However, although the patient potential of these countries is enormous, foreign pharmaceutical companies are currently tapping into only a fraction of the market.

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BNP Paribas: Turkish deal offers eastern promise

BNP Paribas [BNP.PA] has announced details of its plans to enter the Turkish banking market by buying a stake in TEB Mali Yatirimlar. The move offers the bank strong long-term growth prospects in an emerging market. It also further showcases BNP Paribas' acquisitory tendencies, which are built on the solid performance of its home business in France.

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Crunch time for Nabucco

Turkish prime minister Tayyip Recep Erdogan delivered a pointed message to European energy markets on a three-day visit to Brussels last week, stating that, if talks on Turkey's accession to the EU remain blocked: "we would of course review our position". This was Ankara 'playing the energy card', and demonstrated how developments through 2008 have changed Europe's energy outlook.

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Enel/Enka: joint venture offers temporary solution

Italian utility Enel has teamed up with Turkish conglomerate Enka to establish a joint venture that aims to acquire three Turkish utilities. Should they succeed in making these acquisitions, the two companies' combined range of specialties should ensure that post-merger integration can be completed successfully. However, tension between the partners may be unavoidable in the long-run.

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European cards: credit cards proving popular in Turkey

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European pay later cards: Italy, UK and Turkey buck concentration trend

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Exel: clothing contract zipped up

Exel [EXL.L], the global supply chain management company, has been awarded a contract to provide a range of logistics services to Marks & Spencer's [MKS.L] childrenswear provider, The Zip Project. Fashion retailers are increasingly turning to logistics specialists like Exel to give them the competitive edge, by reducing costs and improving lead times.

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Gazprom: casting the net further

The EU wants to restructure the import process for non-community gas, in a way that will cut exporters' margins. Unsurprisingly, this has driven Russia's Gazprom to find other outlets for its gas production, with deals underway in Turkey and China. However, it is also still keeping a strong presence in Europe, taking control of its distribution network.

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Gazprom: integrating vertically by expanding its power generation portfolio

Russian energy giant Gazprom is planning to extend its reach into Western Europe's energy market by investing in new power generating assets. Gazprom's plans come at an interesting time when Europe's energy market faces numerous challenges, and the development will raise eyebrows among regulators trying to unbundle existing energy monopolies.

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