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Top 1000 World Banks - China overcomes obstacles to lead efficiency rankings

Emerging market banks have put in an impressive performance in this year’s cost-to-income ratio ranking, which highlights how efficient they have been. China dominates with Russian and Brazilian names following closely, while the US is conspicuous by its absence. Silvia Pavoni reports.
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Running a lean business is crucial for all banks – whether experiencing macro-economic or regulatory pressures, or operating in developed or emerging markets – and our analysis of cost-to-income ratios shows developing market banks are proving the more efficient. Out of the top 20 banks in our ranking, 13 are from emerging economies, almost all occupy the top part of the list and almost all are Chinese.

The ranking is based on financial data of the largest 50 companies in our global Top 1000 ranking, so this should not be entirely surprising given the overwhelming size of China’s lenders. More surprising, perhaps, is the absence of leading North American lenders.

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Silvia Pavoni is editor in chief of The Banker. Silvia also serves as an advisory board member for the Women of the Future Programme and for the European Risk Management Council, and is part of the London council of non-profit WILL, Women in Leadership in Latin America. In 2019, she was awarded an honorary fellowship by City University of London.
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