Analyst Insight: The awareness of supply chain finance (SCF) in emerging markets is growing. Most recently, foreign importers of goods manufactured in emerging markets, procure-to-pay software providers and financial institutions have been driving increased activity globally. Companies in emerging markets, especially in the small and medium-sized segment, stand to achieve business gains with better understanding of their end-to-end financial supply chains and proper application of available SCF strategies and solutions. - Viktoria Sadlovska, managing director and CRO, Prameya Research

Analyst Insight: The Congressional bills to implement the U.S. free-trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama and to renew the Generalized System of Preferences and Andean Trade Preferences Act have gained congressional approval and President Obama's signature, thus paving the way for the long awaited realization of the agreements and their inherent trade benefits and opportunities. Simultaneous approval highlights the challenges of managing global supply chains to take advantage of the benefits provided. - William M. Methenitis, partner, global director, and Kristine L. Price, partner, both of Ernst & Young LLP, Customs and International Trade