Western Europe

United Kingdom   Justin Keay   Turner: City of London engages in “socially useless activity” A year has passed since the near implosion of the world’s financial system, and intelligent opinion in Britain remains divided between those wanting the City ...

Istanbul, October 6th, 2009 - Global Finance magazine hosted its thirteenth annual Best Bank Awards ceremony on October 6th, 2009, in Istanbul (Turkey), at the same time as the Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank. More than 200 ...

A TOUGH ROAD AHEAD   Spain’s banks and savings institutions are still reeling from the collapse of the country’s housing market.   By Antonio Guerrero   With Spain experiencing its deepest recession in 60 years, its banking sector stands at ...

With bank stability still high on corporate and investor agendas, Global Finance magazine publishes in the October 2009 issue its annual list of the world’s safest banks.   Global Finance has published its world’s safest banks listing for 18 years. ...

THE WORLD'S BIGGEST BANKS 2008 Rank Name Country Fiscal Year Total Assets ($b) 1 Royal Bank of Scotland Group United Kingdom 12/2007 3,807 2 Deutsche Bank Germany 12/2007 2,974 3 BNP Paribas France 12/2007 2,494 4 Barclays United Kingdom 12/2007 ...

NEW YORK, July 21, 2009 — Global Finance has announced the First Round winners in the “World’s Best Internet Banks” competition in the Middle East and Africa. This is the 10th year Global Finance has named the World’s Best Internet ...

LESS PAIN, MORE GAIN   Portugal's pre-credit crunch party was not as wild as that of many other countries, and its hangover should be much less severe as a result.   By Adam Rombel   You do not have to ...

While the economic crisis has demonstrated the shortcomings of “light-touch” regulation—leaving the market to virtually regulate itself—banks remain unconvinced about the benefits of a single global regulator.   By Anita Hawser   While the economic crisis has demonstrated the shortcomings ...

T URBULENT TIMES   Despite global economic challenges, Greece presents investors with opportunities.   By Adam Rombel   Things are bad everywhere, but they are not as bad here. That sums up the plight of the economy and business climate ...

UNITED KINGDOM     Turner: Getting tough. Britain’s Financial Services Authority (FSA), much criticized for regulatory and supervisory failings that critics say have exacerbated the country’s financial crisis, is to abandon its much-vaunted light-touch approach to regulation. FSA chairman Adair ...

SEEKING AN ENERGY BOOST COUNTRY REPORT / PORTUGAL Increased competition from new entrants to the European Union has dealt a severe blow to Portugal’s economy. Tourism and investment in renewable energy are helping it pick up the slack.     ...

SWITZERLAND       Roth: Doing the whole region a favor by pushing down the franc.       Jean-Pierre Roth, the low-key chairman of the Swiss National Bank, is not the type of person you would expect to shock ...

EUROPE     PwC's Nick Page. The cross-border M&A; activity that has characterized financial services for the past few years has virtually ground to a halt as increasing government involvement radically reshapes the market. Nick Page, partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, says M&A; ...

United Kingdom/United States       Perella: Sees major opportunities   Joseph Perella’s new investment firm looks well positioned to book some major deals in the Middle East. With petrodollars from around the world flooding into investments in the Gulf ...

EUROPE       The cross-border M&A; activity that has characterized financial services for the past few years has virtually ground to a halt as increasing government involvement radically reshapes the market.   PwC's Nick Page Nick Page, partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, ...

UNITED KINGDOM               Britain’s Financial Services Authority (FSA), much criticized for regulatory and supervisory failings that critics say have exacerbated the country’s financial crisis, is to abandon its much-vaunted light-touch approach to regulation.   ...

CYPRUS Cyprus’ leaders are tackling head on the challenge of maintaining economic growth during the current global downturn.     Nicosia, Cyprus' capital, is gripping itself for an economic slowdown. Cyprus has experienced more than its fair share of ups ...

UNITED KINGDOM     Tough talk: FSA chairman Adair Turner Britain’s battered banks—reeling from plunging share prices and ever-worsening subprime losses—face a major overhaul in the way they are regulated. Britain’s unified regulatory body, the Financial Services Authority (FSA), is ...

EUROPE     Cash is costly for Hammerson, developer of this UK cineplex With headlines dominated by bank bailouts totaling billions of dollars, it’s easy to get blasé about the scale of the challenge facing the global economy. Nevertheless, a ...

Jean-Pierre Roth, the low-key chairman of the Swiss National Bank, is not the type of person you would expect to shock the financial world. But that is exactly what he did on March 12 when he confirmed that the bank ...