Argentina
Best domestic bank: Banco Galicia
Best foreign bank: Banco Frances
Best domestic bond house: Banco Galicia
Best foreign bond house: Deutsche Bank
Best domestic equity house: Provincia
Best foreign equity house: Banco Rio
Best foreign M&A house: Merrill Lynch
Banco Galicia has responded well to the invasion of its market by
foreigners - in particular to the threat from BBVA, which took over
Frances, and BSCH which owns Banco Rio de la Plata. Even with the
extra competition it has been able to grow its market share.
Galicia has always been an innovator in areas such as the internet
and the building up of the branch network when most banks were
still focused on corporate lending. A concession to use the
Argentine post office counters gives it extensive reach.
However, the bank is nothing if not flexible and in the first
quarter of 2000 increased its corporate portfolio...
