VP BankTrying to separate commercial banking from private banking in Liechtenstein is difficult. Nonetheless, a predominantly private bank that fits The Banker’s criteria for inclusion in the Top 1000 World Banks ranking must also be considered as a candidate for our Bank of the Year competition.
Crèdit Andorrà Profit growth, good RoE and stronger balance sheet are all good parameters to judge a bank’s performance. Crèdit Andorrà, once again, has demonstrated good results in all these areas and the full integration of CaixaBank, acquired in 2005, into its books strengthened the group’s position on all fronts.
American Bank of Albania Established in 1998 to assist Albania in its transition to a market economy, American Bank of Albania has expanded strongly in the past three years and agreement was reached at the end of 2006 with Italy’s Sanpaolo IMI to acquire 80% of ABA at 3.65 times its net worth. The agreement was finalised in June 2007, when ABA officially became a bank of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group.
It is a difficult time for the securitisation business. As the subprime woes have undermined confidence in what has long been a well-accepted and well-used technology, it is clear that there is going to be a period of greater conservatism in terms of the sorts of structures and assets that are attractive to investors.
FX House of the Year is one of the most competitive classes in The Banker Awards. The incredible levels of liquidity, service and innovation that the top four players provide can be difficult to differentiate. But by maintaining market share against ever more aggressive competition and continuing to add functionality and innovative new products for clients, Deutsche Bank edged away from the pack and took the crown.