Determined to avoid the pitfalls of their Western counterparts, Chinese banks have entered a phase of tightening, as regulators put the squeeze on credit and raise interest rates repetitively.
Latest articles from Stephen Timewell
China's leading bankers set on an upward trajectory
June 30, 2011How do the leaders of China’s leading banks view the banking sector, their own performances and their aims and ambitions? The Banker talks to the chairmen of China’s top institutions.
Grand designs transform Chengdu and its banks
June 30, 2011With massive government support, Chengdu has emerged as the financial centre of western China. Important banking institutions have already moved into the new Chengdu Financial City – which is still under construction – while other economic initiatives look set to transform the region's landscape.
Tianjin's banks take advantage of area's rapid growth
June 30, 2011Tianjin is now one of the fastest-growing banking regions in China and, as a result, its financial institutions are experiencing phenomenal growth as they continue to fund the metropolis's booming industrial development and satisfy increasing demand from foreign investors.
Lebanon brushes off external and internal upheaval
May 4, 2011The collapse of its government earlier this year and subsequent political wrangling, together with less than optimistic trading figures, has left many fearing for the economic future of Lebanon. But the region has a long history of resilience in the face of adversity.
Lebanese banks push on with overseas expansion
May 4, 2011The conservative approach adopted by Lebanon's largely family-owned banking sector over the past decade has served it well in the post-crisis environment. Now its key players are increasingly eyeing an expansion into the frontier markets of eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Lebanon's central bank governor gives country's banks a clean bill of health
May 4, 2011Riad Salameh, governor of the Banque du Liban, tells The Banker how the country's banks have been unaffected by the turbulence in the Middle East and north Africa, and explains why they have been performing so well of late.
Saudi Arabian central bank seeks to meet sukuk challenge
March 15, 2011Mohammad Al-Jasser, governor of Saudi Arabia’s central bank, discusses the huge potential of sukuk issuance in an interview with Stephen Timewell in Riyadh.
Saudi banks view future with a mixture of caution and optimism
March 10, 2011Saudi Arabia's banks largely enjoyed a profitable 2010 and are looking to 2011 with renewed optimism. Though the lessons of the past few years mean that a cautious approach will be adhered to, the sector's future certainly looks bright.
Saudi Arabia steps up its growth strategy
March 9, 2011Saudi Arabia stuttered during the global financial crisis, but never plumbed the depths of the world's more developed economies. Now, the country's leaders are eyeing a more prosperous future, with a key focus being on educating and employing its youth and women.