In an exclusive interview, a former drafter of the Volcker rule explains why, in its current trajectory, the flagship regulation will fail to distinguish legitimate market-making and proprietary risk-taking while banks sound the alarm on compliance costs, hit to earnings and extraterritoriality concerns.

Risk managers have made use of exchange-traded FX options to hedge foreign exposures this year amid a volatile global macro environment.

An end to Quantitative Easing could pose a number of corporate financing challenges. The risks include rising medium-to-long-term interest rates, wider credit spreads and higher yields on risk assets, writes Eu-Jin Ang, Senior Director, Corporate Advisory, RBS.

Italian companies are poised to issue bonds quickly as growing investor confidence creates significant opportunities to access the market, writes Andrea Soro, RBS Country Executive, Italy.

As economic headwinds increase across Asia, darker clouds could be about to descend on the region’s corporate credit markets thanks to increased pressure on balance sheets. However, on a relative-value basis, Asia still looks attractive.

Allowing China’s financial institutions to establish wholesale branches in the UK is a major step in cementing London’s pre-eminent role in global finance. It holds out the promise of greater investment flows into Britain’s recovering economy, while making it easier for British companies to export to China, writes Janet Ming, Head of RBS China desk in London.

South Africa has, on the face of it, huge strengths: commodities, rule of law, strong institutions and consumption prospects, a social contract – aided by decent incomes per capita – and a sophisticated financial system, among other factors. But it’s failing in five key areas.

It’s unclear whether a negative deposit rate – as mooted by ECB officials in recent weeks – would trigger corporates to invest excess cash or, given risk aversion and the deficit of demand, continue to hoard cash, say analysts.

Rising interest rates, wider credit spreads and higher yields on risk assets are some of the potential impacts on global markets when Quantitative Easing starts coming to an end, writes Eu-Jin Ang, Senior Director, Corporate Advisory, RBS.

China’s leaders are likely to disappoint those hoping for sweeping economic reforms at the next big meeting of Chinese leaders - the third plenum of the 18th Communist Party congress.