Banks are ramping up their wealth management capacity as the market heats up, writes Yuri Bender.

Smoking in enclosed public spaces, including offices, is about to be made a criminal offence in England. The move is welcomed in many quarters, but employers whose employees break the law will be liable to pay much heftier fines than the errant employees themselves, writes Michael Imeson.

Heather McKenzie reports on the factors forcing financial companies to place regulatory compliance in the risk management sphere.

Competition remains controlled but foreign players are finally getting their feet in the door, adding healthy variety to Kuwait’s banking sector, writes Nadine Marroushi.

Qatar’s financial sector may be in for a shake-up as the country begins to fulfil the potential offered by huge oil revenues, writes Stephen Timewell.

Japan’s distinctly tiered banking system could change dramatically if local government reform goes ahead, and regional banks are worried by the potential threat that a privatised postal savings bank could pose. Charles Smith reports.

Despite huge technological advances, firms still issue clunky, non-standardised activity announcements – that can be misinterpreted. Frances Maguire assesses the industry’s attempts to automate the process.

What makes a successful international financial centre? Michael Imeson reports on the imperfect art of ascertaining which world city is truly the greatest.

Last year, there was a big buzz about a book by Chris Anderson called The Long Tail, which describes the phenomenon of internet retailing. The concept is that traditional shops have a physical limit on shelf capacity so, for example, a music store can only stock as many titles as its physical space allows.

Elected on an anti-poverty mandate, Ecuador’s government may be clashing with private banks over microloan fees but it accepts the economy should be capitalist, underpinned by a competitive banking system. Jane Monahan reports from Quito.