Vienna Stock Exchange’s strategy is raising its profile internationally as it develops indices and a data distribution network, Geraldine Lambe reports.
A legal framework incorporating the best international practices of investor protection should pave the way for the success of Portuguese covered bonds.
Traditionally a low-risk area, the European covered bond market is now a much more volatile place. Philip Alexander explains how Portugal fits into the wider European picture.
The economy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg relies heavily on its financial sector, as it contributed approximately 30% of gross domestic product in the last fiscal year.
Despite an optimistic outlook on the banking sector in Turkey, political dilemmas and the global economic environment weigh heavy on the country. Stephen Timewell reports from Istanbul.
Austrian banks and companies have been looking to central and eastern Europe for growth – a successful strategy that will continue, reports Geraldine Lambe.
By covering the whole value chain through an integrated business model, exchanges can benefit all of their customer groups from issuers to private investors, says Rainer Riess of Deutsche Börse.
Luxembourg’s profile as an international finance centre has seen significant growth in recent years, on the back of its increasing focus on international listings.
Italy’s leading light in eastern Europe, UniCredit has ambitious plans after buying into one of the region’s most dynamic markets with its purchase of Ukraine’s Ukrsotsbank, writes Philip Alexander.
Conservatism, strong deposit bases and past consolidation bode well for Finland’s banks in the global credit squeeze, writes Robert Anderson.
Turkey’s banks prepare to navigate the storm of a pending global economic downturn, buttressed by a surge in foreign investment and a strong currency. Yet political uncertainties cloud the future, writes Metin Demirsar in Istanbul.
Peter Wise reports on the Portuguese firms that are making a name for themselves on the international stage.
Just as the dust was settling on the chaotic attempted takeover of Banco BPI by Millennium BCP, the global credit crunch came along. Peter Wise reports on a tumultuous 18 months for Portugal’s banking sector.
Peter Wise and Brian Caplen talk to chief executive Ricardo Espírito Santo Salgado about Banco Espírito Santo’s plans to expand further its well-established banking network in Portuguese-speaking countries.
Spanish banks appear to have survived the credit crunch relatively unscathed. However, as Jules Stewart reports, the country’s current account deficit and reliance on foreign markets is causing concern among some commentators.
The UK budget for 2008 announced measures to promote competitiveness with the increasingly attractive Islamic finance sector, paving the way towards sukuk issuance, writes Stephen Timewell.
Kemal Unakitan preserved Turkey’s public finances in 2007, despite turbulence in domestic politics and international markets. He wants to maintain momentum in 2008, he tells Philip Alexander.
BBVA is in an enviable position for 2008, having had no involvement with subprime assets. Jules Stewart talks to president and COO José Ignacio Goirigolzarri.
Spanish banks are tightening up their strategies in preparation for a global slowdown says Jules Stewart.
Behind the alarming headlines about bank bail-outs in the state sector, leading players in Germany’s capital markets are quietly making headway, reports Philip Alexander.