When Chinese investors sought to secure a supply of niobium metal, UBS had the unique challenge of coordinating five state-owned enterprises to a punishing timetable, all the while taking on board the differing needs of each enterprise. 

A deluge of non-performing loans and deleveraging paint a bleak picture of Kazakhstan’s banking sector. But it is against this backdrop that smaller, second-tier banks, which follow much less aggressive strategies and are therefore in much healthier positions, can excel.

As Western markets continue to falter, more and more asset managers are looking to Asia for growth opportunities. This is where Hong Kong – offering a Western business culture within the heart of China – has a significant advantage.

South Korea has the second highest debt-to-disposable income ratio in the world, but Choongsoo Kim, governor of the Bank of Korea, insists that the country’s financial system is not at risk, and suggests that balancing the focus between export and domestic demand will lead to sustainable economic growth.

Non-performing loans soared after a steep economic slowdown in Tajikistan, but improvements in its regulation and management practices have laid the foundations for a much more stable banking system in the country.

While South Korean manufacturers have achieved global success, the country’s banks have struggled to break out of the domestic market. The government is now looking to introduce new regulations aimed at boosting the international competitiveness of its financial institutions. 

Magnus Bocker, CEO of the Singapore Exchange, looks at why the Asian market is so vibrant right now.

Moves to establish economic communities in Asia are gathering pace. Atsushi Saito, president and CEO of the Tokyo Stock Exchange Group, explains why Japan will be a leader in any such regionalisation.

The growth of China's banking sector continues unabated, with banks the length and breadth of the country, small and large, turning in impressive performances in The Banker's Top 100 Chinese Banks ranking.

Will China's cash-rich banks want to enter the West's stagnant, mature market when there are so many growth opportunities domestically and within Asia as a whole?