Oil tycoon T Boone Pickens is investing billions in building the world’s largest wind farm in Texas, which in turn will free up natural gas for transportation and reduce US reliance on oil. Interview by Karen E Thuermer.

After the giddy levels of flotation activity seen in Brazil in recent years, even usually optimistic bankers are not anticipating much new IPO business before the second half of 2009, at the earliest. Writer John Rumsey.

The prospect of government meddling in the Tupi offshore fields has caused much alarm – but not for Petrobras, says CFO Almir Guilherme Barbassa. Writer Courtney Fingar.

In terms of aggregates, the key Latin American banks have grown significantly this year and Brazil is remaining at the forefront with impressive pre-tax profits. Writer Stephen Timewell.

In response to rising inflation, Guatemala has adjusted its interest rates eight times in the past two years, and is working carefully to co-ordinate its monetary and fiscal policies, explains the president of Banco de Guatemala. Writer John Rumsey.

The Guatemalan economy has big potential, particularly in fuel and food production. The country’s minister of finance talks about his fiscal reform programme and intent to create a sustainable tax base. Writer John Rumsey.

Just as the banking industry’s big names turned their attention towards Guatemala, the credit crisis struck, plunging the country’s modernisation plans into jeopardy. Writer John Rumsey.

Panama has been capitalising on its prime location between the Americas to attract foreign companies, and has been ramping up its infrastructure to support growth. So how will it be affected by the global slowdown? Writer John Rumsey.

As US regulators and government work together to increase liquidity and help stabilise the economy, mixed opinions abound on just how much public money should be used to alleviate the problems stemming from the country’s banking sector. Writer Jane Monahan.

Óscar Iván Zuluaga has overseen the end of an economic boom and the onset of a period of uncertainty since becoming Colombia’s finance minister in February 2007. The Banker interviewed him at the Finance Ministry in Bogota. Writer Jane Monahan.