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BANKING

What is HSBC?

The culture that powers HongkongBank

February 01, 1997

Building bonds in a floating market

Floating-rate notes reign supreme in Asia. Whatever kind of product gets issued, the chances are it will be swapped back into FRNs the favoured investment of the region's banks. They show no sign of changing their tastes and the successful development of fixed income will require a new class of investor. Brian Caplen reports on this and other challenges to the Asian bond market.

February 01, 1997

BANKING

China's Zhu Rongji: The man who gets things done

The key figure in China's financial reform process is Zhu Rongji, vice-premier in charge of the economy and a 68-year-old often described in western media as China's economic tsar. Though keeping a somewhat lower profile over the past year, his role as overseer of the financial reforms thus far implemented has been crucial.

February 01, 1997

Hong Kong and Singapore: How tough is enough?

Asia's two leading financial centres, Hong Kong and Singapore, are competing as gateways to the region. They're also learning to cooperate to keep their markets clean. But maybe they're acting too tough. Some bankers fault Singapore's Monetary Authority for responding more like the Delphic oracle than a regulator. Even Hong Kong's once laissez faire regime is getting over-paternalistic, say others, although the local vice of "rat trading" is not quite dead. David Shirreff reports.

February 01, 1997

The private life of Robert Kuok

Robert Kuok's conglomerate empire was built on political astuteness, an Asia-wide network of contacts and a willingness to take risks. Its 73-year-old presiding genius is inclined to keep a low profile and operate as if he was still heading a private company. Funding needs and a reshaping of the business with succession in mind have, however, forced greater dependence on public equity. Jonathan Kandell reports.

February 01, 1997

Who moved where

Headhunters had a busy time in 1996. Most noticeable were the recruitment sprees at UBS and Deutsche Morgan Grenfell. Other banks such as BZW and Chase were also restructuring - and a number of well-known people passed through the revolving doors for a variety of reasons at firms such as Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch. By Philip Eade

February 01, 1997

The Philippines: Asia's newest darling

February 01, 1997

BANKING

A corporate culture but no monastery

Meet Europe's biggest investor: Diethart Breipoh, Allianz

January 01, 1997

BANKING

Not the "spider in the web"

Meet Europe's biggest investor: Diethart Breipoh, Allianz

January 01, 1997

BANKING

A rainfall-adjusted stock market

Emerging market strategists looking at making a New Year foray into Chilean stocks would be best advised to adopt a strategy of "Buy into heavy rain" and "Sell on prolonged sunshine". In a new twist on the term "market barometer", the Chilean market is being dragged down by the weather, as the country endures one of its worst droughts this century.

January 01, 1997

BANKING

Playing the name game

How did Crédit Local de France and Crédit Communal de Belgique come to chose the name Dexia from over 100 suggestions, for their newly-merged banking group? "The name has been imagined by Bessis, which specializes in name conceptions," explains a spokesman at Crédit Communal de Belgique/ Dexia.

January 01, 1997

BANKING

Mexico: The dithering away of the state

After months of delays, the Mexican privatization progamme has sprung back into life. In December, the government raised $1.8 billion from the sale of its northeastern railway line, by far its largest privatization deal since the devaluation of the peso in late 1994. Congress has also dropped its opposition to the sale to foreign investors of a 49% stake in the country's down-stream petrochemicals industry, raising hopes that privatization will speed up in 1997.

January 01, 1997

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