Sweden

BEST BANK
Nordea

BEST DEBT HOUSE
CSFB

BEST EQUITY HOUSE
ABN Amro

BEST M&A HOUSE 
Handelsbanken Capital Markets

Nordea is the largest bank by assets in Sweden, with $342.99 billion, compared with second place SEB’s $217.14 billion and Svenska Handelsbanken’s $194.75 billion, but it wins best bank not for its size but for its dramatic improvement in performance. Net profit in 2004 increased by 28% to an all-time high of €1.91 billion, compared with €1.49 billion in 2003, and operating profit increased 26% to €2.28