Malaysia’s quest to create a regional champion with a large Islamic bank came to an end when a plan for a three-way merger was scrapped. The country’s second-largest lender by assets is now retrenching to boost returns and eyeing strategic acquisitions.

Malaysia’s banking community prepares for the next chapter after an attempt to merge three banks ends in failure to complete the deal.

Trade Finance Survey 2015 full results Best Regional Trade Finance Provider

Trade Finance Survey 2015 full results

Trade Finance survey 2015 full results

Trade Finance survey 2015 full results

Two regions in one

Turkey’s president has tried to kick of one of the country’s largest banks into touch, through public attacks and behind-the-scenes pressure. Despite becoming a political football, Bank Asya is still in the game. Can Turkey’s reputation in the west as a place to do business survive Erdogan’s continued, politically-motivated vendetta?

The overwhelming retail demand for the Saudi bank’s $6 billion listing raises questions about how the country’s equity market will respond to its opening up to foreign investors.

Bahrain stuck in trading trough; Gulf markets are polarizing.

The chief executive of the leading Turkish Islamic bank claims it is the victim of a politically driven campaign by the country’s president, in an exclusive interview with Euromoney.

Malaysia gears up for consolidation in its financial sector as the three-way deal moves ahead.

US-led airstrikes in Iraq have heightened security concerns among international banks and companies operating in the country, but despite the growing crisis, banking business is still being won on the ground.

India needs a litany of reforms to unshackle its stalled capitalist project. Modi’s government should take inspiration from the paradox of Singapore’s activist state and strong private sector.

South Africa issued its long-awaited debut sukuk on Wednesday in a bid to diversify away from conventional means of fundraising and attract investors in growth markets in the Middle East and Asia.

In our September edition, Euromoney explores the challenges and opportunities for some of the world’s leading financial institutions in the Middle East, including a special investigation into Iran’s tentative economic and political rehabilitation in the eyes of international markets, Lebanon’s economy, UAE-India ties and Saudi Arabia’s equity-market revolution.

Iran and the west don’t have to be friends, but there will be big benefits from a rapprochement.

The Emirates’ economy has recovered much of the ground it lost in 2008. The country’s banks are taking advantage by growing strongly. Is there a danger of another round of overheating?

After the Iranian Revolution overthrew the Shah in 1979 and the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini launched the Islamic Republic that exists today, there were a lot of assets the Shah and his followers had left behind as they fled Iran.

In our September edition, Euromoney explores the challenges and opportunities for some of the world’s leading financial institutions in emerging markets, including BBVA’s bid to become the world’s first digital bank, Gulf banking, M&A in Malaysia and reforms to the Indian financial system.

The debut issue of a five-year $1 billion sukuk this week is a statement of intent from Hong Kong that it is serious about Islamic finance, sending a strong signal to rival financial centres.

A three-way banking merger is the biggest yet in Malaysia, part of a regional trend to boost domestic firms to compete locally and abroad. It would also give the country a big contender in Islamic finance

The region’s markets are growing rapidly, and might even hit new highs this year. Meanwhile, a patchy record in growth and some important issuer absences do not seem to trouble international investors.

The country is forging ahead in its aim of becoming a regional Islamic finance hub, issuing its debut sukuk in July. However, questions remain as to exactly how dedicated it is to reaching this goal.

Senegal should focus on diversifying funding channels rather than marketing itself as an Islamic finance hub, which could limit investor interest.

CIMB power grab looks set to shake up the region’s banking landscape.

Statement of intent rather than a need for funds; DMO defends choice of leads.

RBS has had to cease using BankTrade software after the US federal court upheld the bank was breaching copyright.

Iraq’s economic potential may be enticing regional and western banks to develop operations there but the rise of the jihadist group is cause for alarm.

This is no longer a straightforward award to give. There are at least five homegrown houses that can make a good case to be the best in the region.