Capital Markets

Investors are putting their money back into stocks, pushing equity markets slightly higher in Africa and the Caribbean. Banking and commodities are leading the charge amid signs the world economy is stabilizing. The gains, though still fragile, offer glimmers of hope.

The question facing investors in February was what it will take to change the stubborn trends of global financial markets. Emerging market stocks, including those in Africa and the Caribbean, are trying to stabilize in the wake of government efforts to increase money supply and boost lending.

The fallout from frozen credit markets permeated all sectors of developed economies and has spread to the developing world.

Van Eck Global, a money management firm in New York City, launched its African Index ETF on July 10 to give U.S. investors an opportunity to invest directly in African equity markets.