Western Europe Archives

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Economics, Policy & Regulation

LONDON’S COLORFUL MAYOR MULLS TORY LEADERSHIP

UNITED KINGDOM With a seminal speech at the beginning of August, London’s larger-than-life mayor, Boris Johnson, positioned himself as a candidate for the future leadership of the Conservative Party.

Economics, Policy & Regulation

SWEDEN: WILL LÖFVEN BE THE NEXT PM?

SWEDEN Known as a credible and pragmatic politician, the leader of Sweden’s Social Democratic party, Stefan Löfven, is gearing up to become the country’s next prime minister.

Banking

PORTUGAL: BACK FROM THE BRINK?

COUNTRY REPORT With strong underpinnings for reform now in place, Portugal is seeing signs of economic improvement. But now that it has increased exports, will greater vulnerability to global trade winds haunt growth?

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

WOULD SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE PUSH UP PUBLIC BORROWING RATES?

SCOTLAND The outcome of this September’s referendum on Scottish independence remains too close to call.

Banking

ECB GETS TO WORK ON ITS NEW EUROZONE BANK SUPERVISORY ROLE

MILESTONES: EUROPE The ECB grows up as it takes on bank supervisory powers.

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

EURO SLIPS AS DRAGHI SAYS ECB WILL ACT

CORPORATE FINANCING NEWS | FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

EUROPE GOES ON HIGH-YIELD DEBT FLING

CORPORATE FINANCE FOCUS | CORPORATE DEBT

Banking

EUROPEAN STRESS TESTS MAY STILL BE TOO SOFT ON BANKS

Upcoming stress tests for Europe’s 124 largest banks will have more credibility than they had previously, but some analysts argue that banks may need far more capital than regulators demand to withstand a crisis. And any hoped-for international standardization in terms of stress testing is out the window as there is little comparability between the upcoming European and recently completed US bank tests.

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

ANNUAL SURVEY: WORLD’S BEST BANKS 2014

In our 21st annual survey, Global Finance identifies the best banks in 150 countries and eight regions. The winners are not always the biggest banks, but rather, the best—those with the qualities that corporations should look for when choosing a bank.

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

EUROZONE EYES QUANTITATIVE EASING

Inflation in the eurozone slipped to 0.5% at an annual rate in March, its lowest level since 2009. The persistence of low inflation prompted policymakers to discuss quantitative easing (QE) and a negative deposit rate, putting some downward pressure on the euro.

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

SANCTIONS THREATEN RUSSIAN DEALS

Mergers and acquisitions involving Russian companies, including Morgan Stanley’s planned sale of its global oil-trading unit to Rosneft, are threatened by Western sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis.

Banking

US VS THE WORLD: ROUND ONE

The fight has just begun, as newly enacted Fed rules start to cramp long-accepted operating styles of global banks. The banks are weighing what to do about it—as are global policymakers.