Global Banking

UNCHARTED TERRITORY   By Anita Hawser   Banks are struggling to keep up with nonbank rivals in the race to create the next generation of payment systems.   It may have been unfettered innovation that got banks into hot water ...

ANNUAL SURVEY: CENTRAL BANKER REPORT CARDS   by Gordon Platt, Antonio Guerrero and Dan Keeler   Central bankers sit tight in the face of renewed global uncertainty.   Indications that the global economic recovery is losing momentum have created a ...

ANNUAL SURVEY: BEST INTERNET BANKS PART 1   In the first of a two-part series, Global Finance identifies the best online corporate and consumer banks by country and regionally by product or service category.   By Adam Rombel   The ...

COVER STORY: FINANCIAL REGULATION   By Justin Keay   Businesses can expect to see their top-line costs rise under new banking regulations in the US and Europe. Will it be money well spent?   If in pre-credit-crunch days policymakers uttered ...

ANNUAL SURVEY: THE WORLD'S BEST SUB-CUSTODIANS   Sub-Custodians Feeling The Heat   Global investing in turbulent times puts the spotlight on local safekeepers.   By Gordon Platt     As they seek to reassure investors that their assets in foreign ...

DEALS OF THE YEAR   Equity Deal Lloyds Banking Group's $22.5 billion rights issue Lead underwriters: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, UBS Investment Bank, Citi, Goldman Sachs, HSBC and J.P. Morgan Cazenove In November 2009 UK-based Lloyds Banking Group's record ...

ANNUAL SURVEY: BEST INVESTMENT BANKS   Earnings from investment banking helped major financial institutions return to profitability, but the rules are changing.   By Gordon Platt   Major banks reported hefty gains in first-quarter 2010 profits, with a powerful assist ...

GLOBAL WINNERS   Investment Bank J.P. Morgan J.P. Morgan is the best current example of a success story on Wall Street. With its fortress balance sheet and careful management of risk, the bank grew and remained profitable throughout the financial ...

REGIONAL WINNERS   North America Investment Bank J.P. Morgan J.P. Morgan reported net revenue from investment banking of $8.3 billion in the first quarter of 2010. The bank not only led in debt and equity underwriting worldwide, as well as ...

SECTOR WINNERS   Consumer Lazard Lazard was financial adviser on some of the biggest deals of 2009, including Kraft Foods' takeover of Cadbury, the British chocolate maker. This deal stands as a tribute to Bruce Wasserstein, the veteran dealmaker and ...

BEST LEGAL ADVISERS   Global Skadden Skadden, or more formally Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, was the number-one legal adviser on global mergers and acquisitions announced in 2009, according to Thomson Reuters. The firm advised on 173 M&A; deals ...

COUNTRY WINNERS   North America Canada Scotia Capital Scotia Capital, the wholesale banking arm of Scotiabank, had a record year in 2009 for its equity platform. The bank participated in 211 equity deals, valued at $8.5 billion. In September 2009 ...

ISLAMIC FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AWARDS 2010   Islamic financial institutions were not immune to the turmoil of the past two years, but their strict ethical code helped them prosper in many areas where others foundered.   By Laurence Neville   The ...

Global   By Anita Hawser   Reid: Imposing strict limits might impede growth With the concept of systemic risk still preoccupying global banking regulators, the International Monetary Fund has weighed in on the debate with some suggestions for far-reaching and ...

AFRICA   By Gordon Platt   REGIONAL WINNER: Standard Chartered Bank Standard Chartered Bank's earnings from its African operations rose 54% last year to $482 million. The London-based emerging markets bank receives 90% of its income and profits from Asia, ...

LATIN AMERICA   by Antonio Guerrero   REGIONAL WINNER: Banco Santander Brazil continues to shine as the jewel in Santander's crown, helping the Spanish bank consolidate its position as Latin America's premier financial group. Santander Brasil set a benchmark in ...

EUROPE   By Paula L. Green   REGIONAL WINNER: RZB/Raiffeisen International Austria-based RZB/Raiffeisen International bags the regional award for the fourth year in a row after managing to turn in a creditable performance despite atrocious market conditions. With a 1.7% ...

ASIA   By Anita Hawser   REGIONAL WINNER : HSBC As regional and foreign banks look to Asia to grow their business beyond their domestic markets, competition is heating up in the region. Traditionally a strong provider across 20 or ...

BEST EMERGING MARKET BANKS 2010 In our 17th annual survey of top banking performers in emerging markets, we select winners in 101 countries and five regions. By Gordon Platt   Emerging market banks have sailed through the global financial crisis ...

MIDDLE EAST   By Gordon Platt   REGIONAL WINNER : National Bank of Kuwait National Bank of Kuwait, the leading bank in Kuwait and the highest-rated bank in the Middle East, earned $925 million last year, an increase of 4% ...