The share prices of leading Italian banks were buffeted in early 2009 as investors anticipated damage to asset quality from their high exposure to emerging Europe. But senior managers say the region is still at the heart of their strategy, writes Philip Alexander.
Over the past decade, Greece's leading banks have expanded into south-east Europe. To remain competitive, however, they will now need to weather the financial storm and continue to focus on increasing their presence in the Balkans and the rest of eastern Europe. Writer Kerin Hope
One of the world’s fastest-growing regions during the boom years, eastern Europe became one of the major victims of the credit crunch as aggressive lending strategies turned sour. But there are still plenty of banks in a position to thrive. Writer Jan Cienski in Warsaw.
Croatia has not been immune to the global liquidity squeeze, but measures taken by its central bank in recent years to avoid an uncontrolled build-up of foreign debt mean the banking system may be less vulnerable than some of its local counterparts. Writer Nick Saywell.