President Fox: a man who means business

Vicente Fox, Mexico's president, has been determined to combat corruption in government so he can move ahead with economic improvements. Karina Robinson meets him.

Battle for the benchmark

The fight to sell government euro bonds has never been fiercer. The French and Germans are battling it out for benchmark status while other eurozone countries are increasing liquidity and issuance size. Troubled equity markets make it all very attractive to investors.

Time to go

Are Dresdner's days numbered?

All signs point to Allianz dismantling the once powerful Dresdner Bank, says Jan F Wagner in Frankfurt.

Paris aims for European supremacy

Six months after the launch of the euro, the finance markets of Paris are enjoying the success that it has brought. As Helena Frith Powell reports, the French capital has London firmly in its sights.

Saudi banks buck international trend

Stephen Timewell reports from Riyadh on how most of Saudi Arabia's banks are enjoying a profitable year.

Tactics must change if the news is good

In times of turbulence, investors flocked to Brazilian banks. They always delivered in the worst kind of scenarios. But what if Brazil becomes stable? Brian Caplen analyses how things could change.

Lessons from Argentina: Sovereign default

Argentina's spectacular sovereign debt default may, ironically, change international rules on dealing with such collapses while coming too late for the country itself. Suzanne Miller reports from New York on why the IMF may finally have run out of patience with its old friend.

London calling

Henry Harington looks at the effect of September 11 on foreign banks in London, and finds many questioning their policy of maintaining all their operations under one roof.

The future of Africa

Time runs out for the technocrat

Karina Robinson interviews Pedro Malan, Brazil's finance minister, who has less than two years left in office before elections.

Japanese banks determined not to repeat previous mistakes

With Japan’s economic problems having the potential to wreak havoc on a global scale, Japan’s banks must haul themselves out of a hole of their own making, reports Anthony Rowley in Tokyo.

Right, said Fred, both of us together

Karina Robinson talks to Fred Goodwin, group chief executive, Royal Bank of Scotland.

All power to the super regulator

Karina Robinson talks to the FSA’s Sir Howard Davies.

Better in than out

Kerin Hope reports on how Greece’s banking sector is preparing for entry into the euro-zone.

Tougher stance against failure

Turkey’s new regulatory body began operations last month with sweeping powers to oversee the troubled banking sector.

Italy's banks seek to compete in Europe

Italian banks reckon they are boosting efficiency and say politicians must now help by reducing the tax burden.

No more Tequila crises?

Guillermo Ortiz looks thoroughly at home in his opulent offices at the Central Bank of Mexico. But, as he points out, in the early 1980s he was already ensconced in the Bank’s economic research bureau.

Accounting for diverse interests

As merger and acquisition activity in the US banking sector slows and foreign heavyweights circle, major players are choosing to diversify their portfolio of interests. Michael Blanden reports.

The sharp horns of a dilemma

Kalo Rao in Mumbai reports on the latest and most difficult phase of banking reform facing the Indian government.