Indonesia's banks suffered heavy setbacks during the 1998 Asian financial crisis, but in the 20 years since, the country's recovery has seen its banking sector outperform the rest of the Association of South-east Asian Nations region.

South Africa’s banks are among the world’s best regulated, and though a sluggish economy is straining revenue growth, expansion in to the rest of Africa and a rapid increase in unsecured lending are providing some respite.

Insch Capital Management's CEO, Christopher Cruden, explains the benefits of the asset management firm's relocation to Ticino in Switzerland.

Latin America's buoyant economies are attracting a slew of foreign institutions, with banks from within Latin America itself and from further afield establishing substantial networks across the continent. Unsurprisingly, the largest foreign-owned subsidiary presence is in Brazil, but the large domestic market has quelled Brazilian banks' ambitions elsewhere and it is Colombian lenders that are forging ahead with cross-border acquisitions.

European banks have given up waiting for clarity on the final form of capital regulations, and began issuing new Tier 2 hybrid bonds to strengthen their capital structures. Asian high-net-worth individuals proved a fertile source of investment, and UBS was able to combine its Asian presence and private banking expertise to exploit the opportunity.

Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica took a risk coming to market just before the European Central Bank announced the details of its bond-buying plans in September, but the risk paid off with investment pouring in.

Ecuador’s banks have undergone sweeping changes, as the Rafael Correa-led government seeks to redress the balance between lenders and their customers. Officials say the interventions are necessary, but with big banks hit the hardest, bankers are asking just how this regulation benefits the market.

Increasing tariffs on luxury goods and social sector government spending may not be conventional economic policy moves, but they have worked for Ecuador’s finance minister, Patricio Rivera, who has helped the country's gross domestic product to grow while reducing its poverty rate, decreasing unemployment and increasing the country's energy capacity.

Yankee bond issuance by European names has been setting all-time records in 2012, and in addition to well-known investment-grade names, the market has been showing a tremendous appetite for high-yield offerings.