New laws to combat money laundering and terrorist financing in Australia will place a big burden on banks and taxpayers as well as compromise personal privacy, warns Michael Imeson.

The wave of flotations that began in 2005 continues and some of the big banks have been joining the fray. Christopher Pala reports from Almaty on the positive effects on political risk.

With the relevance of developing a securitisation market in China unclear and demand in doubt, a second batch of pilots is nevertheless in the offing. Samantha Lafferty reports.

IIF forecasts a fall in private capital inflows into emerging markets; the IMF assesses foreign influence on Chinese banking.

Wendy Atkins in Bali reports on the expansion of Indonesia’s microcredit operations that have proved to be resilient depositories for the poor in times of economic crisis.

“Phishing” attacks and improvements in ID fraud prevention were the two key topics discussed at The Banker’s Identity Fraud Round Table in London on 5 December, chaired by Contributing Editor Michael Imeson.

Regional co-operation through the Asian Bond Fund initiatives will make intermediation between savings and investment increasingly effective in the region, says Joseph Yam.

Asia is just one of the regions where BBVA wants to grow its footprint. CEO Francisco González tells Karina Robinson what buying stakes in China’s CITIC banks will achieve.

The impact of events in 1979 continues to reverberate in the changing balance of power between the West and the East. Christopher Coker considers the consequences as China’s influence is felt through the world.