Revenue and cost targets do not convince analysts, but regulators appear to bless capital planning.

In an environment of currency volatility, the luxury sector could prove to be a refuge, especially as global top-end spending appears to be holding up well, according to BCA Research.

The gold equity sell-off probably represents a nadir in investor sentiment, typical of major bottoms, according to BCA Research.

RBS’s investment banking head John Hourican is the fall-guy for the bank’s Libor-rigging fine, but he should be lauded for the job he has done in the most difficult circumstances.

Business in Taiwan will be a given a boost thanks to the island’s new status as an RMB clearing centre, with analysts predicting RMB100 billion of deposits will fly into the country's banking system by the end of this year.

Getting institutional investors to accept construction risk is one of the hardest nuts that the infrastructure market has yet to crack. The early stages of a project are clearly fraught with uncertainty. Even if you have a high-quality contractor and a well-structured project, cost overruns is still a concern. Funding construction has traditionally been the preserve of the banks, with many financings taking the form of a three-year to five-year bridge loan to cover construction leading to a refinancing either in the loan market or via bonds with irrevocable triple-A monoline guarantees.

“Infrastructure is not naturally a bond market product. Bonds will account for only 10% of the market at best.” There are plenty of people like this banker who believe that without the comfort of a triple-A monoline guarantee, the risks inherent in funding infrastructure will be too great for the bond market to bear. Considerable time and effort has therefore been spent to find a replacement for the monoline wrap that was the linchpin of the project bond market before 2007.

Higher fund allocations to Nigeria might be justified, but the timing isn’t.

The much-vaunted institutionalization of the project finance debt market is now under way as asset managers, pension funds and insurance companies pile into infrastructure lending. However, the risks and rewards they find there might take some getting used to.

A referendum to decide whether the UK should remain in the European Union could negatively affect trade and investment into the UK, say economists, though some businesses threw their weight behind David Cameron's announcement.

In response to the revelations that a senior executive suppressed a damaging report into Barclays Wealth, Alix Prentice, partner in the financial services regulatory team at international law firm Taylor Wessing, predicts that the bank may face action from a UK regulator increasingly focused on suitability and client risk appetite.

Refinery stocks have gone vertical since the middle of 2012 and may experience temporary consolidations, according to BCA research.

Includes Bonds, Equities, Loans, M&A, MTN, Project Finance

The ring-fence between retail and investment banking proposed in the Vickers report need to be 'electrified', according to a report by the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards (PCBS). But which side of the ring-fence will transaction banking services fall on?

News of the death of the commodity bull market might be exaggerated, according to seven vital signs identified by Ned Davis analysts. But don’t expect a ripe old age for the bull either.

Smallholder efficiency key to addressing shortages; Yield gap must be closed

New farm land being opened up; Foreign investors making profit-sharing deals

Capital controls look as likely as inflation targeting in upcoming monetary policy.

Boutique structures innovative listed RPI-linked deal; Investors replacing banks in infrastructure finance

The recent flurry of European debt project funds has sparked debate over whether institutional investors will bypass intermediaries and follow the US model, by hiring in-house teams to manage their portfolios directly.

Knowledge gives locals the edge; Deal is too small for internationals

Hedge funds and private equity grab opportunities; Dromeus launches Greek recovery fund

The narrative over the eurozone crisis is blindsided by venom over the single currency's supposed ills, but that shouldn't detract attention away from the need for structural reforms.

Peru: Latin America's outperformer

The eurozone became even riskier in Q3 2012, according to the results of Euromoney’s Country Risk (ECR) survey. Spain, the world’s worst performer in the survey during that period, plummeted 14 places, while Italy and Slovenia registered increased risk too. Core economies Germany and France also got riskier in Q3, according to economists. However, there were signs that the worst might be over for the eurozone as a whole, with its average score deterioration slowing to 0.5 points on average in Q3, less than a third of the previous quarter’s fall.

The increasing popularity of wealth management products in China has the potential to reduce banks' deposits and destabilize the banking system more generally, says CreditSights.

Fine wine shows an attractive Sharpe ratio; Investors must be wary on valuations

Depository law proves final hurdle; OFZ spreads tighten on foreign buying

After setbacks in May, EFG Hermes and QInvest will merge by the end of November, but despite economic and political turmoil, the joint venture is gunning for growth.

The Greek government narrowly pushed through a law ending the government's obligation to own stakes in former state-owned companies, but only confident investors should buy distressed Greek assets, explain analysts.