The narrative in the Albanian banking sector was unchanged last year as Banka Kombetare Tregtare (BKT) continued to assert its dominance over former market leader Raiffeisen Bank. By the end of December, the Turkish-owned lender accounted for more than a quarter of all deposits in the country and nearly 22% of overall loans, while its Austrian rival saw its share of both markets slip to below 20%.

Singapore is steadily fending off threats to its position as Asia’s largest FX trading centre, threats that include liquidity concerns, growing volumes in Hong Kong and the rise of Shanghai.

HSBC’s Sino-foreign joint venture has been approved at last, almost two years after the project was announced. It is the first such venture to have foreign control but what exactly has HSBC won?

Wave of IPOs could propel ‘mid-sized’ banks; HSBC emerging as a potentially serious player.

Dana Gas, an Emirati gas company, is using Shariah non-compliance as an argument in its sukuk restructuring talks. That remarkable move, if successful, could undermine the whole system of trust built around Islamic finance in the Middle East.

There will be a time when Chinese A-shares play a huge role in global emerging market (EM) portfolios, but Wednesday’s news does not mark that moment.

High-yield sovereign issuer sells a $2.75 billion century bond; bank valuations ‘hyped’ but room still seen to grow.

Brazil office opened in 2014 and has won several prestigious mandates; firm argues changes to bankruptcy code would boost M&A.

It’s hard not to see, in the detention of Anbang chairman Wu Xiaohui, the final nail in the coffin of a certain kind of exuberant Chinese dealmaking.

The B&R forum held in Beijing brought a little clarity to a so far rather nebulous concept.

Reaction to Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s appointment of Nestor Espenilla Jr as the new governor of the central bank, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), has been publicly positive.

China’s landmark Belt and Road Forum – not, we are told, to be abbreviated as Barf – has been hailed as a success for the country’s sprawling infrastructure agenda.

A suggested merger of two of Malaysia’s large banks and the sale of half of another’s international brokerage to a Chinese peer have shaken up the country’s financial services industry in the space of a week – what’s happening?

What gated communities can teach us about gaming the system.

The latest political scandal in Brazil spooked the markets, but didn’t bring them down. Why not?

European authorities deserve credit for pushing through reform of Slovenia’s banking sector.

Economic recovery encourages borrowers; fiscal consolidation revives eurozone entry talk.

Bedding down a six-sided merger domestically; international activity to be 20% of total book in three years.

Several banks write off Syrian operations; they continue to be big shareholders.

After another tumultuous year for banking in Lebanon, the central bank governor discusses the political pushback against his actions, the potential impact of a new US law targeting Hezbollah and the prospects for his reappointment.

The country’s biggest banks are working on the big data challenge. If successful, it could transform the industry and its performance. But quantifying the impact and differentiating between potential winners and losers is almost impossible.

Swiss bank buys Brazil’s biggest multi-family office; wealth management industry continues to grow fast despite economic turbulence.

After months of uncertainty, the Lebanese government has finally approved Riad Salamé’s renewal at the head of the country’s central bank. It was right to reappoint him; now he should be left to work unfettered by political interests.

Bernardo Parnes opens IB and wealth management boutique; consultancy aims to differentiate by seniority of advisers.

Miranda, head of BBI, says single country banks at a disadvantage; global trend to universal banks helping drive national and regional growth.

Sharp crash in bank shares was followed by marked recovery; risk of political stagnation could lead to larger, longer-term falls in sector.

International companies new to Asia find working in the region more difficult than anticipated, as Asian regulators move towards a protectionist stance.

One of the world’s most ambitious and laborious deals approaches its conclusion and will not be repeated in a hurry.

The dearth of equity financing in the region plays into the hands of firms with strong debt franchises. The local banks are not leaving this business to the internationals and there is one local in particular whose efforts to develop its debt financing capacity should be recognized, not least for tapping into the local investor base.

An increased focus on financing small and medium-sized businesses should be another important step towards unleashing the Middle East’s vast untapped reserves of entrepreneurialism. Although rarely easy for risk-conscious lenders, growing the SME book is vital for the region’s future as a banking market. It is something notably lacking in the most oil-dependent economies.