The great crash of 2007 may not materialise but already it is clear that, if it does, there are few places to hide. Asset classes are linked together in a way unseen previously and a problem in one class will likely impact on another one.

The CEO of Commerzbank’s corporates and markets division is meeting his brief to cut costs and risk but, he tells Geraldine Lambe, under his aegis there will also be selective growth.

National monetary policy must not only be determined within a domestic framework but is also influenced by global economic indicators. In the new era, central banks face serious challenges, says Jacques de Larosiére.

A surge in activity on the global property market has triggered growth in the globalisation of property finance and the property securities markets. Neil Tyler reports.

With company default rates at historical lows, pickings have been thin on the ground for the much-maligned distressed debt banker. But lenient lending policies to troubled firms in recent years may mean a bonanza is on its way, says Karina Robinson.

JPMorgan’s CMBS business is booming, helped by a $960m property loan for Colony Capital’s casino assets. The team tell Kathryn Tully how they pulled off the biggest CMBS deal in the gaming industry.

Cracks are starting to appear in the Equator Principles. While banks may not lend money for non-compliant projects, they are still free to invest or to lend to export credit agencies that do the financing. Geraldine Lambe explores the new reputational risks this throws up.

Russia dominated the bonds and equities scenes last year but this year there are likely to be opportunities for small corporates and second-tier banks in other CEE countries to join the fray, writes Michael Marray.

How can investment banks hope to match last year’s stellar performance? Some say that is impossible, but Geraldine Lambe picks out the products that others believe will bring them riches.

Loic Chiquier summarises the housing finance findings of a World Bank assessment of east Asia’s financial markets.