Healthy oil revenues mean the Gulf Co-operation Council countries are enjoying an ongoing boom and even concerns over inflation cannot shake the optimism surrounding the region. Writer Stephen Timewell.

President Hugo Chávez’s decision to nationalise Banco de Venezuela has come at a time when government-bank relations are uneasy following a Ministry of Finance crackdown on foreign exchange controls. Writer Jane Monahan.

Banks in Indonesia are looking to commodity plays as inflation hinders growth in the region. Writer Simon Montlake in Jakarta.

Leading European and US consumer finance players have expanded aggressively in central and eastern Europe, but they face a strong local competitor in the shape of PPF Group. Writer Philip Alexander.

Understanding UK bank strategies can be difficult. The past year has seen not only Royal Bank of Scotland’s joint acquisition of the Netherlands’ giant ABN AMRO but also the disastrous run on Northern Rock, record 2007 profits at HSBC Holdings and, last month, RBS’s first half-year loss in 40 years, following $11.4bn in writedowns.

UK banks may have taken significant hits on their profit and loss accounts as a result of the subprime crisis, but they have also strengthened their capital and balance sheets significantly.

The successful transformation of Egypt’s banking sector has hit trouble. Charlie Corbett reports on how global financial turmoil and soaring inflation have hit the banks’ consolidation efforts.

Paraguay’s new finance minister tells Hugh O’Shaughnessy why the country cannot make the most of its natural assets.

After the merger of Brazil’s stock and derivatives exchanges, the country’s range of derivatives is fast expanding. John Rumsey reports.

China’s biggest banks have enjoyed another good year, but The Banker’s figures show that the steepest growth is among its other institutions. Stephen Timewell reports.