The eurozone is now on the mend, according to BNP Paribas’ Frederic Janbon, but the new regulatory landscape will continue to change the debt business, bringing opportunities as well as challenges.

The sale of both its Greek subsidiary and its financial products division is intended to leave the family-owned EFG Group as a pure private banking operation.

Foreign investors have previously accessed Chinese capital markets through the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor scheme, and since December last year the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor scheme – which uses offshore renminbi funds – has broadened foreign investment in China. The development of these products is now gaining momentum, and the scheme has given a first-mover advantage to domestic Chinese firms, putting brands that are little known outside China on the international stage. 

The acquisition of an investment bank and subsidiaries across emerging Europe are transforming Sberbank from Russia's retail savings bank of choice into a genuine international player, just as Western competitors are retreating. But its management team is treading carefully.

South Africa’s capital markets have been resilient amid a surge of negative news emanating from the country following the killing of 34 miners in August. But many bankers say the situation could deteriorate quickly if economic growth does not pick up or if labour unrest is not calmed. 

Despite holding core values of social and economic development, questions remain about how beneficial Islamic finance has been for the majority of the Arab world. Could the emergence of crowd-funding platforms help to generate a more equitable distribution of wealth?

Erste Bank Group’s CIO and head of group organisation and IT, Christian Gosch, explains how the bank has modernised and standardised its core banking networks to optimise its operating model across central and eastern Europe

Demand for credit has been very strong in the US this year, opening opportunities for high-yield, European and emerging market issuers. But there are risks on the horizon at home and abroad.

The global financial crisis caused many corporates to review their treasury operations, with a large number reducing banking partners and signing up to shared technology platforms. Such changes, combined with the introduction of new regulations, such as the Single European Payments Area, have left many banks rethinking their global transaction services.

Two years ago fears abounded that the US municipal bond market was on the brink of a surge of defaults. While those fears proved to be misplaced, local and state governments are still struggling amid a weak economy.