Basel II , John Plender,Financial Times, Pushpam Chatterjee, Deloitte-Touche

New pieces of legislation affecting tax and ownership are having a dramatic knock-on effect on Canada’s capital markets. Geraldine Lambe reports.

The announcement, as The Banker went to press, that Sweden’s SEB Group had signed an agreement to acquire 97.25% of Factorial Bank in Ukraine was the latest in a line of such acquisitions by European banks from outside the country.

The Islamic finance industry is rapidly evolving and expanding, with growth of banking assets estimated at $750bn and growing at a rate of 15% to 20% a year. Nabeel Shoaib explains.

Despite infrastructure issues and a lack of scenery, São Paulo has seen off local rivals and is emerging as the region’s pre-eminent financial centre. John Rumsey explains.

Hong Kong has emerged as the clear global financial centre in Asia, standing alongside London and New York. Mark Michelson examines the drivers behind the city’s success.

Professor Joe Bannister, chairman of Malta Financial Services Authority, talks to The Banker about the role of the regulator and its vision for the industry in Malta.

Thierry Gigant, managing director at BNP Paribas in Cyprus, tells The Banker what Cyprus has to offer financial institutions and how regulations, EU accession and joining the euro affect business.

Michael Sarris, Cyprus’s minister of finance, outlines the ambitious plans his ministry has for the country’s future and emphasises Cyprus’s regulatory alignment with the EU.

Low-value electronic payments are about to be speeded up in the UK by the Faster Payments Service. But banks are wincing at the set-up costs and the increased risk of fraud, writes Michael Imeson.