Increase in new branches opening in emerging countries. - According to figures collected by the French consultancy Nouvelles Donnes in 66 countries and from 840 banking establishments, the growth in new points of sale opening stood at 7.7% in 2013, following five years of downturn. In total, 90,000 new bank branches have opened their doors in the emerging countries since 2007. The expansion of the networks is slower than before the financial crisis, when the increase in new points of sale opening was in the double figures, but it remains strong, the consultancy stresses. With ten national banks opening more than 4,000 branches a year, India is one of the main drivers of the network expansion. With just around ten branches per 100,000 inhabitants, progress in this matter was overdue for the country. By way of comparison, France had more than 60 bank branches for the same level of population. Overall, these mass openings of points of sale are mainly down to local banks, particularly in Africa, Nouvelles Donnes goes on to explain. (IL)