Société Générale has added to its Balkan synergies with the purchase of Macedonia’s Ohridska Banka – but local banks are efficient and profits are by no means a certainty. Eric Jansson reports.

In some of Italy’s communes, a credit co-operative is the only bank. David Lane reports from Rome on the continuing attraction of these small institutions to their Italian customers.

ICBC chairman Jiang Jianqing talks to The Banker about the Chinese market, the bank’s recent growth and its long-term strategy to become an international player.

Is the growth of private placements at the expense of public equity offerings in the US a temporary phenomenon or does it signal a more significant shift away from public scrutiny? And, asks Geraldine Lambe, will it undermine the listed market?

Pakistan is implementing a new development paradigm for the country’s banking sector with the aim of bringing the country’s poor and rural population into the system, writes Dr Shamshad Akhtar.

Aite Group reports on US banks’ small business strategies while the Microfinance Information Exchange unveils benchmarks.

Web-based social networking is coming to banking, and marketeers must learn to talk to exploit it, writes Marian Salzman.

Despite several years of ‘Better Regulation’ emanating from the European Commission, banks are finding themselves saddled with even heavier rulebooks, writes Michael Imeson.

Over-the-counter derivatives, specifically credit derivatives, have exploded on to the trading scene in recent years. In a technologically rich, standardised environment, the processing of OTC products still has a way to go. Alan Duerden reports.

The chief information officer of the London Stock Exchange discusses its new core trading system, TradElect, with Alan Duerden.