Latest articles from Jane Cooper

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South Korea makes life difficult for foreign investors

November 1, 2011

From drawn-out court cases to labour union strikes, the trials and tribulations of the multinational banks that have tried to invest in South Korea have left many observers with the impression that the country is hostile to foreign capital. 

Banking brands

Brand finance survey highlights banks' image problem

October 19, 2011

The banking sector’s image has suffered in 2011, with an overall decline in the rankings of banks’ brand value. However, there are some notable exceptions that have carved a niche in the market.

ECFA agreement

Taiwan banks make slow progress in China

October 3, 2011

Political uncertainty and regulation has blighted the progress on the Economic Co-Operation Framework Agreement between Taiwan and China. Now, slowly but surely, agreements are finally being reached that should benefit Taiwan's banks and businesses.

Fubon Financial office

Too many banks, too little profit in Taiwan

October 3, 2011

Looking at the liquidity and capitalisation levels of Taiwanese banks may give a false impression of a healthy banking sector. But with the world’s second lowest net interest margin, the country's banks are struggling in an overcrowded market.

Cyber criminals are becoming more sophisticated

A problem shared: the key to fighting cyber crime

September 1, 2011

Cyber crime is a critical issue for global transaction services, with banks and their clients increasingly under attack. As cyber criminals evolve ever more sophisticated techniques, banks have a new tool in their arsenal: information sharing. But just how successful is it?

M-Pesa, phone money transfer service, Kenya

Are non-bank specialists challengers or partners to banks?

September 1, 2011

Non-bank payment specialists are cropping up all over the world. But are these companies a threat to the more traditional providers of payments, or do these largely niche businesses present partnership opportunities to banks?

Choongsoo Kim r

South Korea's shifting economic focus

September 1, 2011

South Korea has the second highest debt-to-disposable income ratio in the world, but Choongsoo Kim, governor of the Bank of Korea, insists that the country’s financial system is not at risk, and suggests that balancing the focus between export and domestic demand will lead to sustainable economic growth.

South Korea's economy has recovered but interest margins continue to be squeezed

South Korean banks look beyond their borders

September 1, 2011

While South Korean manufacturers have achieved global success, the country’s banks have struggled to break out of the domestic market. The government is now looking to introduce new regulations aimed at boosting the international competitiveness of its financial institutions. 

China Construction Bank

China's banking success story spreads across the country

September 1, 2011

The growth of China's banking sector continues unabated, with banks the length and breadth of the country, small and large, turning in impressive performances in The Banker's Top 100 Chinese Banks ranking.

Steve Cooper

Banks wake up to SMEs' unique requirements

August 1, 2011

As the banking industry begins to view small and medium-sized enterprises with a renewed passion, the way banks manage SMEs is changing, with many accepting that the one-size-fits-all approach of the past is no longer viable.

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