Intesa Sanpaolo rose to prominence as Italy's largest bank after a series of domestic mergers and takeovers, and has improved its status further with a raft of selective acquisitions in central and eastern Europe, writes David Lane in Rome.
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Keeping faith with convergence: Looking East
May 5, 2009The share prices of leading Italian banks were buffeted in early 2009 as investors anticipated damage to asset quality from their high exposure to emerging Europe. But senior managers say the region is still at the heart of their strategy, writes Philip Alexander.
Outside influence
May 5, 2009The state-owned Banque et Caisse d'Epargne de l'Etat may be performing well, but Luxembourg operations of Fortis and Dexia have encountered problems as the knock-on effect of the recession in powerful neighbouring economies takes its toll on one of the world's smallest countries. Writer Nick Kochan
Weathering the storm
May 5, 2009Although not caught at the epicentre of the financial hurricane, the Portuguese economy's hopes of an upturn after four years of slow growth have been hit by the global recession. However, the country's trade links with Africa and Latin America and its lack of subprime exposure are giving some cause for optimism. Writer Peter Wise
Portuguese banks offer customers a safety net
May 5, 2009In the wake of the global financial crisis, Portugal's leading banks are focusing on improving relations with both corporate clients and individuals, as well as expanding overseas, as a means to boost their ailing profit margins. Writer Peter Wise
Counting the cost: Volatile Times
May 5, 2009The aggressive increase in residential and commercial real estate lending in the three Baltic states by Swedbank and SEB has left the two institutions painfully exposed to the market crash. Robert Anderson reports
Robust and ready
May 5, 2009The global recession is nothing new to Turkey's bankers, who have learnt the lessons of the country's economic crisis of 2001 and are showing great resilience as their global peers falter. Writer Metin Demirsar
Who's afraid of the IMF?
May 5, 2009
The full force of the global recession has hit Turkey with falls in exports leading to job cuts. Bankers say an IMF deal would help but the government is reluctant. Writer Metin Demirsar
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prime minister of Turkey
A long-term win against the odds KfW
April 7, 2009In the current financial climate, five-year papers are considered a no-go area for US bond investors. This makes the $4m, five-year issue pulled off by Germany's Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau last month all the more remarkable. Writer Edward Russell-Walling
Roche's perfect storm
April 7, 2009Drug company Roche made a rare foray into the markets recently, with BNP Paribas being among the bookrunners putting together its record-breaking euro bond deal to finance the purchase of US biotech firm Genentech. Writer Edward Russell-Walling