Former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder thinks that the rest of Europe needs to follow the reform programme he pioneered for Germany. This, coupled with the establishment of a true political union, will help Europe's damaged economy to recover and rebuild itself.

A boutique capital markets firm launched by ABN Amro alumni, Independent Debt Capital Markets, is using its niche expertise to enable mid-tier companies to access debt capital markets in new formats.

Nomura's debt capital markets team was an active bookrunner as market access for peripheral eurozone issuers was restored in the third quarter of 2012.

A strategic alliance in equities with a brokerage firm and the massive strengthening of the balance sheet have helped put UniCredit's corporate and investment bank ahead of the pack, according to deputy chief executive Olivier Khayat.

Only Spain's largest banks have been able to absorb the losses from the country's troubled real estate sector, which has left the main lenders in a strong position to increase their market share.

Tighter bank financing, falling government subsidies and rising US shale gas production are all putting the squeeze on the renewable energy industry.

Needing to raise €3bn in Tier 2 capital at short notice, reborn Dutch bank ABN Amro broke new ground in the Singapore dollar market.

Despite well-publicised retrenchment in commodities finance by some European banks, merchant trading companies are still able to find sources of funding expand their business lines.

The worst of the liquidity squeeze on eurozone banks has eased conditions for commodities finance during 2012, but the business still faces significant challenges.