Global jitters and the escalating cost of financing have forced Portuguese banks to drastically alter their credit model. Writer Peter Wise.

Turkey is defying the onset of recession across Europe by reporting hefty profits and robust growth – although foreign investment is getting harder to come by. Writer Metin Demirsar.

Understanding UK bank strategies can be difficult. The past year has seen not only Royal Bank of Scotland’s joint acquisition of the Netherlands’ giant ABN AMRO but also the disastrous run on Northern Rock, record 2007 profits at HSBC Holdings and, last month, RBS’s first half-year loss in 40 years, following $11.4bn in writedowns.

UK banks may have taken significant hits on their profit and loss accounts as a result of the subprime crisis, but they have also strengthened their capital and balance sheets significantly.

Unlisted French financial institutions have demonstrated the merits of their conservative strategies, which have made them more resilient than their listed competitors in the face of market pressure. Karina Robinson reports.

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena’s audacious €9bn purchase of Banca Antonveneta last November required some serious work to raise the necessary financing. Edward Russell-Walling reports on how the group’s efforts ended up breaking the Italian record for capital raised.

As recessions loom in the Baltic states, Scandinavian banks have reason to be grateful for their reliable domestic earnings, reports Karina Robinson.

Vienna Stock Exchange’s strategy is raising its profile internationally as it develops indices and a data distribution network, Geraldine Lambe reports.

An investigation into the credit default swaps market is adding to the Icelandic banking system’s woes, but banks’ soundness and international reach should help them once the storm is over, writes Silvia Pavoni.

Millennium BCP exceeded expectations with a $1.3bn rights issue in April despite a cooling market and tough regulation, writes Edward Russell-Walling.