Arriving late on the modern banking scene, institutions in central and eastern Europe have not been weighed down by the baggage of complex legacy systems. Technology being implemented in the region is now finding its way west, writes Rekha Menon.

The number of players in Nigeria’s banking sector is falling again as a desire to maintain a top 10 listing, as well as a nationwide presence, pushes a new wave of mergers, writes Nick Kochan.

Tapping into the huge and underserved housing market is the next challenge for Brazilian banks. John Rumsey reports on the growth of mortgages and the consequent development of the securitisation market.

The outcome of the tussle for ABN AMRO will have a decisive effect on the Brazilian banking scene, which is currently dominated by domestic players. John Rumsey reports.

After a gradual recovery from communist rule and the economic disarray of the late 1990s, Slovakia’s economy is now taking off, presenting plenty of opportunities for foreign banks. Jan Cienski reports from Bratislava.

New foreign players from HSBC to Poland’s mBank will have to settle for niche roles in a profitable banking market with little room for new entrants, writes Jan Cienski in Prague.

The hands-off approach of Italy’s central bank boss Mario Draghi seems to be paying off as the country is starting to produce continental-scale banks. David Lane reports.

Investment banks and institutional fund managers are being persuaded to take microfinance institutions seriously as they show better returns than some other emerging market investment vehicles and prove their stability in the face of external shocks. Kathryn Tully reports.

Microcredit is not a profitable business model – nor does it aid long-term development, argues Thomas Dichter.

The EU’s Transparency Directive is not functioning properly because most states have failed to implement it, and where it is in force it has been gold-plated to varying degrees.