Subordinated debt gives treasurers a new means of raising equity capital

Whole loan sales will offer a growing funding alternative for mortgage lenders

Citigroup's vision of the ultimate financial company, manufacturing and selling every financial product, is lost. A series of scandals betrayed the fact that the structure Sanford Weill built had reached the limits of its manageability. Charles Prince now has a new plan to put the bank back on track. Will it work?

The US firm is committed to breaking into the European debt markets – again

ABN Amro is handing down its underperforming US high-grade business to wholly owned

Germany's industrial heartland, the Ruhr, is adapting well to a world after steel and coal. But when the country's top bankers met there in Essen last month they wondered long and hard about the ability of the rest of Germany to cope with economic change

Germany's deal shows how corporate techniques are firming up government balance sheets

The proposed removal of a cap on pension funds' foreign holdings could change the shape of Canadian fund management

Kensington concerns:

Fighting corruption, the scourge of the Philippines, was a major platform of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's election campaign in 2004. Elected, one would expect her to be proud of the zeal with which some in her administration are tackling the issue. It seems some of her colleagues were not so certain, however, and chose to take matters into their own hands.

Economy shows further signs of life

Emerging-market countries will enter new territory next year. For the first time since the asset class was established in the late 1980s, these nations will become net creditors in the global economy, according to data from Fitch Ratings.

EBS's move reflects growing hedge fund activity in the region

Singapore: CAO executives charged

It took regulators one long year to work out what exactly Citigroup did wrong in August 2004 on the EuroMTS trading platform. In the interim, Citi has apologized repeatedly for its actions, perhaps because the firm itself has been the biggest victim. Having lost a fair chunk of fees underwriting business – apart from when the Greek debt office broke step in March on its €5billion 32-year deal – the firm has been notably absent in benchmark euro sovereign new issues since the misguided trade. Although some rival bankers suspect Citigroup has still been involved indirectly in the primary European government bond marks by carrying out swaps for new issues, its last euro trade of note for the Republic of Italy – the sovereign said to have taken particular issue with the rogue trade – came way back in February 2004. While Citi continues to enjoy success in other sectors of the international bond markets, the firm must be hoping that it will return to favour soon.

Equity markets are geared for a surge in Chinese issues

Santander's retail banking specialists' biggest challenge to date will be to turn around the fortunes of Abbey. Can the Spanish bank's model be successfully applied to the highly competitive UK market?

After New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer's appearance last year, whoever was guest speaker at the New York Financial Writers annual awards dinner this June was always going to have a tough act to follow. In fact, William McDonough, chairman of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, made a very good fist of it.

Fund management:

UK boutique warehouses and bulks up fund managers' troublesome unwanted shares, offering a return within three years

But competition will get tougher for wealth managers, according to a recent survey

ECNs have sold themselves by claiming to offer fast, competitive, electronic execution. But research suggests only the electronic claim is true.

Banks miffed at Deutsche's fees

The masters of retail banking | Getting back to the Abbey habit | Awards for excellence - Best bank

Investors may need more convincing if the inflation-linked market is to take off

Boards are faced with a tough decision on a structure to combine the banks' strengths in central and eastern Europe

Throughout the history of finance, the most successful banks have often been associated with a single leader. These individuals have usually combined a clear strategic vision – or should that be mission, such is their zeal for success – with a real understanding of the minutiae of their business. Their names have been a byword for the businesses they have run. Today, it's harder than ever before for one man or woman to have such complete control of the reins of power. Ownership is widespread. Corporate governance has taken a strong hold over boardroom actions.

The annual guide to the leading banks across the globe by market capitalization, plus all the other key statistics you need, including the largest banks in every region.

Telecoms sector misses out on $390 million investment

When JPMorgan Chase's Sedef Imer finishes her working day at the London office at the end of July, she won't be taking the tube home. Instead she's setting off to Sydney, Australia. Nothing odd in that one might think, but how about if that trip was being made on a recumbent bike (known by aficionados as "a bent").