Latest articles from Western Europe

A dictionary of difficulties from 2012

December 3, 2012

If 'algorithms, bail-ins and cajas' were the ABC of banking in 2012, what will be the new buzzwords? Philip Alexander looks at the phrases that defined 12 months of pain, and suggests some words to watch in 2013.

TEASER-Green energy feels the chill

Green energy feels the chill

December 3, 2012

Tighter bank financing, falling government subsidies and rising US shale gas production are all putting the squeeze on the renewable energy industry.

ABN Amro finds favour in Singapore

ABN Amro finds favour in Singapore

December 3, 2012

Needing to raise €3bn in Tier 2 capital at short notice, reborn Dutch bank ABN Amro broke new ground in the Singapore dollar market.

commodities finance TEASER

Merchant traders adapt to new financial landscape

December 3, 2012

Despite well-publicised retrenchment in commodities finance by some European banks, merchant trading companies are still able to find sources of funding expand their business lines.

commodities finance TEASER

ECB relieves pressure on commodities finance

December 3, 2012

The worst of the liquidity squeeze on eurozone banks has eased conditions for commodities finance during 2012, but the business still faces significant challenges.

The Banker Awards 2012 TEASER

The Banker Awards 2012 – Western Europe

November 29, 2012

The Bank of the Year winners from western Europe.

Should the brakes be applied to high-frequency trading?

November 26, 2012

The European Parliament wants high-frequency traders to hold stocks for half a second before selling to prevent a future stock market crash, but critics retort that slowing down trading is not a solution to the problem.

Germany’s ghost of crises past

November 26, 2012

Despite being hugely unprofitable, the German government is reluctant to get rid of the country's regional wholesale banks, the Landesbanken.

Hussain Al Qemzi

Noor Islamic Bank pushes Islamic finance towards maturity

November 7, 2012

Islamic finance is increasingly being viewed as a credible alternative to conventional finance, but Hussain Al-Qemzi, group chief executive of Dubai-based Noor Investment Group and chief executive of Noor Islamic Bank, recognises that Islamic institutions must work together if they are to compete with conventional banks.

Islamic finance looks to pastures new

Islamic finance looks to pastures new

November 7, 2012

To maintain its phenomenal growth rates, Islamic finance is increasingly looking beyond sukuk and property investment to growth areas such as renewable energy and healthcare. 

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