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.

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.

The housing market in the US appears to have turned a corner since the conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2008. But until the government puts clear regulatory guidelines in place, uncertainty surrounding the precise nature of capital rules on mortgages will remain for market participants.

With advanced economies still languishing in the doldrums, trade between Asia and Latin America is driving global economic growth, and it appears that this blossoming relationship is mutually beneficial. However, could protectionist policies in Latin America dampen this ardour?

Both Santiago and São Paulo are making significant strides towards becoming Latin America's foremost asset management hub. The Chilean capital has extensive experience, while the Brazilian metropolis already boasts the sixth largest asset management industry in the world. However, both are seeing their progress stunted by regulatory and taxation issues.