The European Commission has finalised its proposal on the fourth iteration of the Capital Requirements Directive. It makes the EU the first jurisdiction to pass into law the Basel III rules agreed last year. Many are worried about the impact it may have while European economies remain fragile.
The complex world of EU regulation
September 1, 2011Passing financial regulation is complicated and fraught with political and other tensions; but it may surprise the uninitiated in its openness and transparency. Can the European institutions responsible cope with the huge raft of regulation which they are committed to implementing?
Equity markets look for good news
September 1, 2011Equity markets have had a rough ride in the first half of 2011. Recently, there have been some glimmers of hope, but investor confidence will not be restored until there is renewed belief in global economic growth.
Can joined-up thinking revive UniCredit?
August 1, 2011UniCredit's new management team faces a sizeable task particularly as the eurozone crisis threatens to suck in Italy and the bank's shareprice is sliding. However, the new CEO of the corporate and investment bank, Jean Pierre Mustier, is confident that UniCredit can do it.
Dodd-Frank Act's long arm is felt around the world
August 1, 2011On the one-year anniversary of Dodd-Frank, much may have been achieved, but almost as many rule-making deadlines have been missed. More importantly, there are growing industry concerns that lack of agreement about how to apply the extraterritorial reach of US regulation is a problem that just will not go away.
Moelis & Co: a boutique no longer?
June 30, 2011It is becoming more difficult to call four-year old Moelis & Co a boutique firm. Times are good for independent investment banks, but can this run of good business continue?
Has Basel got its numbers wrong?
June 30, 2011Regulators face a tricky task in setting appropriate capital charges for counterparty risk. Many are worried that some of the provisions in Basel III may cause as many problems as they solve.
Deutsche Bank's 'flow monster' outpaced in trading income
June 30, 2011The Banker's Top 1000 World Banks has revealed some surprising results for sources of income at banks.
Cost-to-income ratios show where recovery is strongest
June 30, 2011The cost-to-income ratios of this year's Top 1000 banks in Africa and eastern Europe and Africa show that banks in both regions are keeping a lid on costs, something that is eluding many of their Latin American and Asian counterparts.
Trend towards higher capital to assets continues
June 30, 2011Capital-to asset ratios are, on the whole, looking healthy, but regionally both Asia-Pacific and western Europe have fallen below the crucial 7% level according to this year's Top 1000 World Banks ranking.