As the new trading venues around Europe grab the headlines, little attention is being paid to the liquidity providers from the US lurking in the shadows that could make or break these fledgling operations. writer Michelle Price.

While times are hard for many in the financial sector, one investor’s loss is another’s gain. The Banker speaks to five veteran investors, who advise that, as long as caution is applied, there has never been a better time to buy stocks. Writer Charles Piggott.

The US mortgage market was the epicentre of the earthquake that has shaken the global financial sector so badly, but finding ways to restore capital market funding for residential and commercial mortgages is crucial to reviving economic growth. Writer Philip Alexander.

The heads of major international banks spoke to The Banker about the effects of the crisis, covering areas such as pay and incentives, strategies for funding, the implications for the free market orthodoxy and what opportunities for growth, if any, 2009 might bring.

The European payments landscape is undergoing a period of dramatic transformation as regulatory, infrastructural and commercial pressures force Europe’s payment providers to invest colossal amounts of human and financial resources in new technological and compliance projects.Faced with SEPA, the PSD and UK Faster Payments, the transaction banking business has rarely been busier or more inflamed by competitive pressure.

As turmoil in the banking industry intensifies, the appeal of Islamic finance and its risk-sharing approach is growing. Yet to bring Islamic structures into the mainstream, a workable infrastructure must be established. The Banker brought together a panel of industry experts to discuss the key considerations.

Dislocation and falling equity markets are breathing life into the Australian corporate bond market, while a falling cash rate and government-led initiatives are also resuscitating the once lifeless government bond market. Writer Kate Hage.

One of the world’s fastest-growing regions during the boom years, eastern Europe became one of the major victims of the credit crunch as aggressive lending strategies turned sour. But there are still plenty of banks in a position to thrive. Writer Jan Cienski in Warsaw.

It has been an unprecedented year for the world’s banking industry. Once seen as the drivers of economic growth and prosperity, bankers are regarded by many as pariahs. This image is unfair. The collapse of confidence in the credit markets was driven by the recklessness of a few, but the impact of their actions has sent shock waves across the industry. Cash has become king and, increasingly, banks are looking towards their transaction services teams to drive revenue in 2009. Paul Camp, head of cash management for financial institutions at Deutsche Bank, talks about cash management’s evolution in 2009.

Oil tycoon T Boone Pickens is investing billions in building the world’s largest wind farm in Texas, which in turn will free up natural gas for transportation and reduce US reliance on oil. Interview by Karen E Thuermer.