While BAC Panama remained in top position, other Colombian-owned lenders fared less well in the Top 100 Central American Banks ranking, leaving the way open for Panamanian, Costa Rican and Guatemalan banks to make up ground.
The Banker's 2014 ranking of the top African banks demonstrates why returns in the continent are the highest in the world. Nigeria is realising its potential with average return on capital nearing 25%, while South African banks dominate the top positions in terms of Tier 1 capital.
Caribbean lenders seem to be finally emerging from a difficult few years, with both aggregate Tier 1 capital and assets rising. Profitability remains largely unchanged, however, with some banks making significant gains while others remain in the red.
The relatively small economies of Vietnam and Cambodia are punching above their weight in terms of growth in The Banker’s latest Association of South-east Asian Nations ranking. Meanwhile, Singapore’s banks retain their dominance in the ranking in terms of Tier 1 capital.
In the latest ranking of African banks, Nigeria’s lenders had a blockbuster year in terms of profits, demonstrating their recovery from the country's 2009 crisis, while South Africa's banks remain way out in front of the rest of Africa, but continue to experience subdued growth.