Ducroire-Delcredere Country Risks

http://www.ondd.be/webondd/website.nsf/weben/Country+risks?OpenDocument

Belgium's a small country, but -- perhaps to compensate? -- its export insurer's website looms large. A superb graphic interface takes you to risk ratings for over 200 countries and territories. These ratings are a cut above, with separate indicators for short-, medium- and long-term export transactions; and war, expropriation and funds transfer risks. An added bonus is Belgian attempts at English: "synthetizing charts," "exportations," etc. -- so cute!

One caveat: almost all credit insurance sites, including this one, display risk ratings reflecting the "OECD Consensus" -- an international agreement on country risk levels. The Consensus ratings are realistic (based on actual losses) but not very forward-looking. These ratings reveal this year's risks -- not next year's.

KEYWORDS: risk for investors, risk for exporters