The UK's tough liquidity rules stand in the way of global management and are expensive and time-consuming to comply with, say bankers. The bad news is that other jurisdictions are likely to adopt them. 

Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez has ushered in massive changes to the country's banking sector, nationalising or closing banks, while introducing community banking terminals in slum areas to make banking more accessible. But is this level of public spending sustainable?

Ghana's finance minister Kwabena Duffuor tells Brian Caplen how he is taking measures to ensure that his country's new oil wealth is spent on securing its long-term economic prosperity.

Turkey’s central bank is attempting an unusual combination of tightening monetary policy using reserve requirements, while combating speculative inflows through interest rate cuts. But the outcome remains uncertain.

Afren's high-yield bond issue earlier this year attracted interest from emerging market investors as well as specialist energy players, two investor groups who rarely overlap in the bond markets.

The effects of the international economic bailout of Portugal will be felt through the country, but some see the measures as an opportunity for the country to emerge as a more competitive, export-friendly entity. 

Many Turkish banks enjoyed record results in 2010, with high return on equity, efficient operations, strong capital ratios and falling inflation. However, changing domestic economic conditions will drive new strategies in 2011 and beyond.

The US is in trouble. Its infrastructure is in dire need of repair but the heavily indebted country cannot afford to pay for it. All the more surprising then that the overtures of private – and in many cases foreign – capital are being met with resistance.

The consolidation of Société Générale's Russian subsidiaries will create a universal bank with firepower, its chief executive Vladimir Golubkov explains to Brian Caplen.

Shut out of the wholesale markets, Portugal's banks are reducing their loan-to-deposit ratios and restructuring their balance sheets. If all goes well they could be back in the markets as early as next year.