Target2-Securities, the European Central Bank’s controversial proposal to build a single settlement platform for euro-based securities, would split settlement from custody. Do the proposals go too far or not far enough, asks Frances Maguire.

In the tough environment of capital markets, people skills are often forgotten. Bank of America’s capital markets CIO talks to Dan Barnes about the virtues of trust and how his management approach has seen him voted CIO of the Year 2006.

A recent roundtable organised by The Banker looked at the opportunities and issues faced by banks in dealing with fraud and money laundering. A group of anti-fraud professionals from leading banks took part in the discussion, chaired by The Banker’s contributing editors Mike Imeson andChris Skinner.

Banks’ offerings have been saturated with traditional products, and duplicative and tactical responses to regulatory mandates add extra burdens to fragmented business operations and administrative overheads.

Two underlying themes of MiFID – forcing systematic internalisers to become transparent and defining liquid shares for all EU member states – will result in the role of national exchanges and market data providers being called into question. By Chris Skinner.

Banks’ change of focus from product orientation to customer orientation is bringing benefits, not least in being able to understand a customer’s value and market the right products. And that is where new technology can help, Dan Barnes reports.

Citigroup’s EMEA consumer businesses share best practices to great effect. Recent UK head Nandan Mer talks to Michael Imeson.

Increasing corporate access to Swift was a key theme at Sibos 2006, where a new model for connectivity was announced, but it was clear that challenges remain. Dan Barnes reports.

IT is transforming trading and pushing up processing speeds and volumes. The winners will be those who keep up, says Dan Barnes.

Keeping trading speeds at the required levels challenges current data centre technology – where there is a failure, continuity must be assured. Tim Furmidge looks at solutions.