Taiwan's banking industry is in dire straits and remains in desperate need of consolidation. Many banks are hoping better relations with China may open up new revenue opportunities but this remains to be seen. Writer Michelle Price

BTA Bank has been at the centre of a financial storm involving a state bail-out, Kazakhstan's real estate crash and rotating central bank governors. However the tools to stabilise the situation now appear to be in place. Writer Philip Alexander

Latvia has been the worst-hit of the three Baltic states following the global credit squeeze and economic slowdown. Bank of Latvia governor Ilmars Rimsevics tells Lara Williams how policy makers are responding to the challenges.

The Lithuanian economy has skyrocketed during the past decade largely due to expansive borrowing. However the country's financing model requires some fine-tuning to help it through the global slowdown, reports Gitanas Kancerevycius.

While Latvia has not been immune to the effects of the global economic downturn, it is keenly positioned to attract investors into the country when things pick up, says Olyga Ertuganove, senior analyst at Latvijas Krãjbanka.

Estonia has previously eclipsed the other two Baltic states as a destination for inward investment, but all three are now aiming to move up the value chain by enhancing local skills to bring in top technology and service companies, reports Tom Blass.

Without an injection of millions of euros from the international banking community, Parex Bank would have gone under last November. But just six months on, Robert Anderson reports on Latvia's second largest bank's slow, but steady recovery.

A fall in the exchange rate has caused problems for borrowers in foreign currency. But moderate loan-to-value ratios and high levels of capital should see the banks through. Writer Nick Kochan