The hedge fund industry has matured at a faster pace than anyone could have anticipated. Sure, there are still problems, but the old habit of tarring all hedge funds with the old brush of suspicion must surely be left in the past.

The first of China’s four largest state-owned banks, China Construction Bank, hit the road in October for its well-trailed IPO. Despite a $8 billion offering, the largest IPO globally this year, CCB eschewed a New York listing, spooked by the Sarbanes-Oxley straitjacket, opting for Hong Kong alone.

Taiwan recognized the failings in its existing pension systems early. A new scheme was launched in July. It is already accumulating funds rapidly and the effects on Taiwan’s domestic capital markets are likely to be dramatic. There will also be numerous opportunities for global asset managers. Chris Leahy reports.

State-owned Vneshtorgbank is set to continue its rapid expansion via a share swap to acquire several foreign banks owned by the Russian central bank, including London-based Moscow Narodny Bank and Paris-based Eurobank.

Do hedge funds need strategic advice from investment bankers? And do banks need to set up new departments to offer it? Yes, reckon UBS and CSFB; no, say many of their competitors. Antony Currie reports on whether treating hedge funds like other corporate or private-equity clients is the latest development in the industry or just a fancy bit of spin.

With an amazing recovery from the brink of collapse and a comprehensive debt restructuring, everything seems to be going right for the Dominican Republic. But all the old economic weaknesses are still there and they need urgent attention. Felix Salmon reports.

Why CFOs should stop mistrusting hedge funds

Another round of changes to financial legislation could reshape the German covered bond market. But it isn’t the new Pfandbrief Act that has got banks most excited. Laurence Neville reports.

Saudi and Qatari banks launch new investment products. National Commercial Bank has become only the second Saudi Arabian financial services provider to launch a Shariah-compliant mutual fund that will invest in the countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Was there an ulterior motive for CMC Group’s decision to drop the deal4free brand?

The Philippines’ state pension schemes are in a parlous financial condition and in desperate need of reform, but the government has no money. A private sector solution is available and there is time to fix the problems, but only if politicians leave well alone. Chris Leahy reports.

Concerns about hedge fund positions in the face of Refco’s collapse have been overstated. The real consequence should be that investors are more wary of what they buy into.

The M&A boom is good news for equity capital markets. M&A, as well as generating more transactions, tends to be more profitable than other types of ECM deals. Banks with strong M&A businesses stand to benefit most. Peter Koh reports.