Should the payment card industry be a free market? Or does it need to be regulated? The debate is raging in countries across the world, with both retailers and card issuers arguing that tweaks to interchange fees and leaving them shortchanged.

High oil prices have put Angola in an economic position that is the envy of most developing countries. However, Angola has been in this situation before. This time its government is vowing not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Despite its small size, Qatar's energy resources are vast by global standards. However, its reliance on exporting its liquefied natural gas could face a threat in the shape of the emergence of shale gas in the US.

Qatar's successful bid to host the 2022 football World Cup is a testimony to the country's global ambitions. Development projects are already under way to fulfil stadia, hotel capacity and infrastructure requirements, giving a further boost to the country's already burgeoning economy.

Armed with new capital, BTG Pactual has been busy deal-making this year under the direction of CEO Andre Esteves.

A fall in oil prices brought Angola to its knees two years ago. A deal with the IMF has helped the economy to stabilise and signs of growth can be seen in Luanda, but to avoid a repeat of such economic hardship, more structural reforms are needed to make the country attractive for business.

While Islamic financial institutions have been active in offering retail products and investment banking services, regular corporate banking has tended to fall through the gaps. Now banks are correcting the balance.

New measures have been put in place to ensure Angola's local economy benefits from moves allowing international oil companies to develop the country's newly licensed deep-water reserves.

The trend toward giant international stock exchanges highlights the value of listing on a more specialised market for companies in central and eastern Europe. Warsaw and Vienna are competing for that business.