KPMG highlights the growth of China’s consumer banking markets while Mercer Oliver Wyman outlines the benefits that can be derived from Basel II implementation beyond simple regulatory compliance.

While China’s lifting of restrictions on the operation of international banks will not result in branches opening on every Chinese high street, it does present significant opportunities, says Stephen Green.

New laws to combat money laundering and terrorist financing in Australia will place a big burden on banks and taxpayers as well as compromise personal privacy, warns Michael Imeson.

Given its sound financial infrastructure and current economic boom, the surge in Jordanian bank profits looks set to continue. Stephen Timewell reports from Amman.

Two banks collapse and someone forgets to replenish the nation’s cash supply – tough times for Guatemala’s financial system. But as Monica Campbell reports, there is some cause for optimism.

Are the Bank of Cyprus’s days numbered? Nick Kochan reports on the rival predators’ struggle for the bank, and the opposing forces of regulators and nationalists.

Brian Caplen discovers that market responses to concern over climate change, the risks associated with macroeconomic imbalances and the ever-present bugbear of regulation are the issues most vexing the world’s financial powerbrokers.

Whether responsibility for banking supervision in the EU lies with national central banks or with separate agencies, it must be able to stand up to pressure, argues Jean Lemierre.

A new set of rules for documentary credits is expected to restore the reputation of this much-maligned method of trade finance. But will bankers be able to meet the July deadline? Michael Imeson writes.

Current account imbalances, household indebtedness, large leveraged transactions in the corporate sector as well as the growth in market complexity should all be sounding alarm bells, says Mario Draghi.