Banks that operate across borders must tackle differences between jurisdictions in a context where most regulators are intensifying the scrutiny of both balance sheet and strategy.

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.

Insch Capital Management's CEO, Christopher Cruden, explains the benefits of the asset management firm's relocation to Ticino in Switzerland.

The sale of both its Greek subsidiary and its financial products division is intended to leave the family-owned EFG Group as a pure private banking operation.

As the economic scales tip in favour of emerging economies – particularly those in Asia – it seems increasingly likely that one of the region's leading financial centres will steal the status of global wealth management capital from Switzerland. The question is, which city will it be?

The Swiss National Bank has been the most aggressive central bank in a developed economy when it comes to seeking to stop its safe haven status from driving excessive currency appreciation, but many other such institutions are using other, more varied techniques.

Switzerland’s second largest bank had to react quickly with an innovative convertible offering after the country’s central bank demanded an increase in its capital base.

A stagnant home market and declining prospects in western Europe have encouraged Swiss wealth managers to expand in emerging markets. But the strategy for success is not always straightforward, and now a number of regional players have come to the fore looking to challenge Swiss dominance in this field.

Emerging market growth is changing the strategy for the commodities business at the same time that tighter regulation is altering the relationship between banks, merchant traders and investment funds.