As mainland China continues to develop its capital markets, Hong Kong is well placed to pick up new cross-border trade and help facilitate the internationalisation of the renminbi.

The UN sanctions that are restricting the activity of Iran's banking sector may be tough, but they are not stopping those determined to do business. Writer Spencer Anderson

Caribbean economies have been hit hard by the global crisis, the Haiti earthquake and the near-collapse of CL Financial in Trinidad though its top performers still have plenty to shout about. Writer Silvia Pavoni

Despite an extremely challenging fiscal, political and security environment, Pakistan's banks have remained remarkably resilient. But high interest rates, low economic activity and a bruised consumer portfolio continue to suppress loan growth. Writer Michelle Price

Greek banks control at least a fifth of the banking markets in Bulgaria and Romania but, despite this exposure to one of Europe's more troubled economies, bankers in the two countries believe there will still be a sufficient supply of credit to meet demand. Writer Philip Alexander

The capital markets were deemed too fragile to issue a riyal-denominated Islamic bond to help fund Satorp's greenfield refining project in Saudi Arabia, but that doesn't mean this type of asset funding has gone away. Project sukuk are becoming well known in the Middle East as Islamic finance-friendly products. Writer James Gavin

The UK's offshore financial centres do not deny that they have accommodating tax regimes, but they baulk at the label 'tax haven' and all the negative connotations that tag brings. Writer Charlie Corbett