Tom de Swaan, chief financial officer at ABN AMRO, tells Jules Stewart what Basel II and IAS will bring to the finance industry and why it’s time to get moving on implementation.

Jules Stewart reports on Banca Nazionale del Lavoro’s arrival on the securitisation scene and how it has become Italy’s frontrunner for RMBS.
Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL) was something of a latecomer to the securitisation market. It only started planning its first transaction in 2002, however, it has since powered into a leading market position among Italian issuers.

Spanish bank la Caixa has established a full curve of covered bonds. Jules Stewart reports on ABN AMRO’s role as joint bookrunner on some of la Caixa’s benchmark issues.

Equity-linked issuance continues to bloom. Jules Stewart reports
on the product innovations, new issuers and investor appetite that are
likely to keep the market growing even as volatility drops and interest
rates rise.

The Banker assesses the best deals in investment banking last year. 

With multi-billion dollar acquisitions to finance, banks need inexpensive ways to replenish their capital. Tax and cost-effective, preferred shares are the answer to their prayers, but convincing the regulators to count them as Tier One can be challenging. Jules Stewart reports on the twists and turns to keep the issuers and the authorities happy.

The success of Metsä-Serla's euro-denominated Eurobond issue reveals a healthy appetite for credit products and a willingness to look to the emerging euro market.