Austrian banks and companies have been looking to central and eastern Europe for growth – a successful strategy that will continue, reports Geraldine Lambe.

The practice of companies establishing subsidiaries to insure their own risks directly without accessing the commercial insurance market dates back more than a century. However, the captive insurance industry began to take off in the 1960s, and Bermuda set itself up as the original home for the offshore segment.

Edward Russell-Walling reports on how Georgia’s first ever issue on the international bond market was a resounding success.

Shamsad Akhtar, governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, has an ambitious vision for the bank to have a greater say in economic policy, she tells Karina Robinson.

The economy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg relies heavily on its financial sector, as it contributed approximately 30% of gross domestic product in the last fiscal year.

Targeted intervention, such as that imposed on borrowing limits by Kuwait, could work in other problem areas of banking.

Traditionally a low-risk area, the European covered bond market is now a much more volatile place. Philip Alexander explains how Portugal fits into the wider European picture.

A legal framework incorporating the best international practices of investor protection should pave the way for the success of Portuguese covered bonds.

A sure sign that Africa is entering a new phase of growth and development is the rapid advancement and increasing sophistication of its capital markets. 

Africa is one of the most resource-rich areas on the planet but without a reliable power supply the continent will never benefit.