News of an election is already perking up the Germany economy. If a centre-right coalition wins, as seems likely, expect yet more improvement

Several leading private Saudi companies are preparing to go public by launching IPOs following the successful flotation of dairy company Al Marai in July.

Euromoney does not seek to encourage improper behaviour but we have to share news of one of the hottest websites sweeping the City of London.

The ability to lend is closely tied to capital markets business, writes Laurence Neville

Alpha-driven US volume growth starts to outpace that in UK

CFOs are in danger of becoming slaves of the leveraging cycle. It might be in their best interests to resist bankers' blandishments

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A recent survey by US law firm White and Case throws light on the overseas ambitions of China's larger companies. According to 80 Chinese business leaders, Asia is the most popular destination for overseas expansion, with more than 75% of companies looking there. That compares with 50% of Chinese companies looking at the US and 44% in Europe. Other regions of interest include eastern Europe. Latin America and Africa

Poised between stellar growth and a spectacular new collapse.

As tensions mount between Iran and the west over the Islamic state's nuclear ambitions, Tehran seems to be adopting an Ostpolitik, looking to China and India for political and energy ties. Opec's second-largest oil producer, which also has the world's second-biggest gas reserves, is wooing Asia's fast-growing and energy-hungry economies.

S&P lists the top 100 companies in the PRC, the 10 largest accounting for 56% of total revenues

A new family of volatility indices that will track the Dax, Stoxx, and SMI equity indices will launch this September.

The latest target of the hedge fund activist is Time Warner

Fund management AXA Investment Managers has acquired Framlington Group from HSBC and Comerica for £174 million. The deal adds about £4 billion to AXA's £52 billion ($93.5 billion) in UK assets under management, and puts an end to rumours that AXA IM was considering scaling down its UK business.

Mifid promises to shake up EU financial markets in a way that will make Big Bang look like a gentle nudge. To have any hope of meeting the implementation deadline of April 2007 investment banks might need to set aside as much as $12 million each in their 2006 budgets. Peter Koh examines the fallout

There are signals from Korea that the government and regulators are taking an increasingly tough line with foreign participants in the local markets.

China's currency revaluation is more evolution than revolution but will have a number of knock-on effects

This month, Euromoney seeks to debunk two of the great myths of the international financial markets.

Shorting scoop picked up

Equity managers in Europe, Japan and Asia might benefit from swapping stocks for convertibles

Iranian shipping company NITC is a rarity: it's one of the few non-oil and gas companies in the Islamic Republic seeking funds in the international markets.

International markets reacted to the death of Saudi Arabia's monarch King Fahd by raising oil prices sharply to more than $61 a barrel.

Flexibility is the watchword as the UK regulator clarifies its guidelines on capital ratios

Europe's leading companies are so threatened by competition from aggressive and multiplying private-equity firms that they need to mimic the firms' approach.

"I'm not interested in being prime minister. That'd be a demotion. I'm Tony Blair and the Queen in one!"

"A bratwürst made from tofu? This I am not prepared to discuss!"

As real estate establishes itself as an asset class of choice for investors large and small, advisers are reaping the benefits. The next product in the production line could be property derivatives.

With valuation problems worsening, one US bank CFO thinks the major UK banks are becoming more appealing

Wells Fargo leaves US equities stategy business

As customers become increasingly sophisticated in trading FX options, banks and other providers are enhancing electronic offerings to tap new markets