With traditional revenue streams taking a hit as a result of new regulations, retail banks in the US face a predicament. Should they risk losing customers by increasing their fees to cover costs, or is there another strategy that will appease shareholders and customers alike?

Kosovo’s highly capitalised and liquid banking sector has benefited from its relative insulation from international markets, but its banks must develop and diversify their activities in order to put their funds to work.

Russia's regional banks are often closer to their customers than the Moscow-based giants, but they can be hampered by a lack of both capital and transparency. While a new development fund is intended to change that, some critics argue that new capital adequacy requirements threaten their very existence.

The banking sector’s image has suffered in 2011, with an overall decline in the rankings of banks’ brand value. However, there are some notable exceptions that have carved a niche in the market.

Qatar is one of the world's richest countries, and its banks are enjoying profitable returns across the board. However, there are concerns that the tiny country's banking sector is overcrowded and has too many regulators, leading for calls for consolidation in both areas.

As 'physical' relationships between banks and customers dwindle in favour of more remote interactions via online, mobile or ATM channels, the banks that master their multichannel offering will be the ones to thrive.

As the banking industry begins to view small and medium-sized enterprises with a renewed passion, the way banks manage SMEs is changing, with many accepting that the one-size-fits-all approach of the past is no longer viable.

Lloyds Banking Group's new CEO, António Horta-Osório, had an easy option: to stay at the helm of Santander UK and await inevitable promotion. Instead, he left to front the bailed-out UK bank.

New technology, new players and the challenge of social networking occupied the minds of the participants in a round table discussion on retail opportunities over the next decade held by The Banker .

Polish policy-makers appear to be pushing the prospects for euro adoption further into the future. But this still leaves the country's banks with a dilemma about how to respond to client demand for retail loans in foreign currencies. Writer Philip Alexander