Russia’s futures trading went mainstream in June after the Duma passed laws to make it a bona fide business. Ben Aris reports on how banks are gearing up to play in this as yet plain vanilla market.

Ukrsotsbank is expected to pass into the hands of Italy’s Banca Intesa next year. Chairman Boris Tymonkin talks to Yuri Bender about the benefits for both sides.

Austria’s RZB/Raiffeisen Inter-national (RI) continued to expand regionally, especially in the CIS, and continued to produce strong performances.

Eastern Europe’s transformation, especially that of its financial sector, is unprecedented. Unsurprising then that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has made it the focus of its latest transition report.

Consolidation of central and eastern Europe’s small stock exchanges is unlikely to take place soon, writes Erich Obersteiner.

Sándor Csányi, chairman and chief executive of OTP Bank, tells Karina Robinson that the bank’s new acquisitions will bring a wealth of opportunities.

Romania is due to join the EU in three months’ time, and its banking sector is heating up. Old and new players are vying for a bigger slice of the action in a country that is still underbanked. Adina Postelnicu reports.

Moscow hopes venture capital will boost investment and kick-start a high-tech industry that is sadly lacking funding. Ben Aris reports from Moscow.

Russia’s seventh year of economic expansion has fired growth in the country’s banking sector.

The sale of 40% of Kazakhstan state oil exploration and production company KazMunaiGas in a two-part offering was a roaring success, despite oil prices falling as the deal was going down. The Credit Suisse team responsible for “driving the execution” talk to Edward Russell-Walling.