News & Features Archive

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Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

A WATERED-DOWN EEU

Milestones | Commonwealth Of Independent States In October, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia put the finishing legal touches to the creation of the Eurasian Economic Union, which comes into being on January 1, 2015.

Banking

ARE BANKS UNSAFE AT ANY SIZE?

Banking Regulation The globe’s financial systems are still vulnerable to contagion. Critics say regulators are unlikely to fix the problem unless they shift gears.

Banking

ARGENTINE GOVERNOR MAY FURTHER DILUTE CENTRAL BANK INDEPENDENCE

Newsmakers | Argentina Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in early October triggered the resignation of the head of the country’s central bank, Juan Carlos Fabrega, by criticizing him for not reducing manipulation of the country’s currency. His replacement, Alejandro Vanoli, formerly the head of the country’s securities regulator, CNV, doesn’t look likely to set Argentina on a better path.

Awards

BIGGEST EMERGING MARKETS BANKS 2014

On A Grand Scale Chinese banks take first 10 places in rankings.

Awards

BIGGEST GLOBAL BANKS 2014

Big Is Beautiful Assets of ICBC exceed $3 trillion, while European banks shrink.

Banking

CEFIS’ DUAL FOCUS ON BANKING AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Management | Transaction Banking Alberta Cefis is retiring from Scotiabank after building its global transaction banking business practically from the ground up.

Banking

CFTC CONSIDERS REGULATING BITCOIN DERIVATIVES

Trends | CryptoCurrencies There are potential benefits that bitcoin or bitcoin-like technology—as opposed to the cryptocurrency itself—could bring to the derivatives marketplace.

Award Winners

CHINA: BANKS FORCED TO INNOVATE IN FAST-CHANGING MARKET

Annual Survey | Stars Of China Nothing has characterized the recent pressure on traditional banking in China more than the challenge posed by Internet companies to the Big Four Chinese Banks

Economics, Policy & Regulation

COLOMBIA TO JOIN OECD

Milestones | Colombia The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a relatively small club of 34 countries. It seeks long-term social and economic development through data collection, analysis and discussions.

Features

Corporate Upgrades Propel Local-Currency Bond Issues

Emerging Markets Corporate bond markets denominated in domestic currencies are developing rapidly in many emerging markets, enabling local companies to issue debt without having to worry about repaying it in revalued dollars.

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

CROSS-BORDER M&A DOUBLES AS COMPANIES ENTER NEW MARKETS

Capital Markets | Mergers & Acquisitions Global cross-border mergers and acquisitions totaled $1.1trillion during the first nine months of 2014, more than double the level of the same period a year earlier, according to Thomson Reuters.

Economics, Policy & Regulation

CYPRUS BEGINS LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY

COUNTRY REPORT | CYPRUS Amid continuing harsh austerity measures, things are—very slowly—starting to recover, alongside restructuring that will change the focus of the economy. GDP in 2014 should contract by 3.5% before flattening out next year, with 0.2% growth forecast.