Europe’s leaders should be praised, not berated for their hard-nosed approach to Cyprus. The immediate outlook for the island’s economy and banking sector appears bleak but for the wider eurozone this episode will eventually be seen as an important milestone on the road to stability.

One of the architects of plans to ring-fence UK banks’ retail operations from their investment arms says it will create the world’s most transparent, consistent and robust regulatory regime and make Britain a global destination for capital.

As wealth increases, growth rates are declining.

The prolonged sovereign debt crisis in Europe has left many doubting the single currency can ever work without deeper fiscal union, and the creation of the so-called European Redemption Fund. If Germany agrees to pick up the tab – the only crisis circuit-breaker in town if the ECB sticks strictly to its mandate – here’s how the pooling of liabilities might work.

The effect of the proposed regulation of swaps under the Dodd-Frank Act could push investors towards the futures market, leaving corporates and asset managers with imperfectly hedged positions.

With new investments in high-tech infrastructure, LNG exports and a 20-year healthcare and IT plan, Qatar is aggressively expanding its economy to ensure its regional relevance in the decades to come. But finding new growth drivers is easier said than done.

While European Union proposals to limit the time corporates have to make payments in commercial transactions will bring relief to some suppliers, many buyers will face higher debt and lower liquidity. Supply chain finance could be a practical and effective solution to managing working capital efficiently under the EU late payments directive, says Ugur Bitiren, Director, Corporate Advisory at RBS.

Concerns are mounting the US will partially implement or stall the introduction of Basel III giving its banks and corporates a competitive advantage. Sherif Lotfi, Managing Director, Corporate Advisory at RBS, argues that impacts arising from one set of rules need to be considered alongside those of others before the full effect of regulatory changes can be judged.

The euro has displayed remarkable resilience for a currency that has in effect been broken up by the deal hammered out by the troika of the EU, ECB and IMF to rescue Cyprus, but the single currency might face headwinds as a result of the action as investors question the consistency of policy.

The UK faces a crisis in corporate cash-hoarding – depressing growth and investment – with echoes of the post-Asia crisis malaise. The recent budget is no game-changer for corporate investment but offers a ray of hope.