The decision of £118 billion ($202 billion) pan-European fund manager F&C to dissolve negotiations to outsource its operational functions to Mellon Financial Services strikes another blow to back-office operations providers. Earlier this year, Schroders and JPMorgan cancelled their outsourcing agreement, and consultants say it’s a sign that fund managers and service providers are realizing that outsourcing is not as easy to conduct as was once thought.

Foreign investors concerned about the effect on bond prices.

Most of the key investments in China’s largest state-owned banks have been settled, but international investors are still eager to pour money into the sector. ICBC, NCCB and Hua Xia Bank are all on the receiving end.

Latin America's debt markets are proving their worth in financing big projects.

Explanations for the market's significant retreat in November are more complex than for previous years.

Investment banks need to think carefully about which institutions they market their services to.

Chinese bonds have no relative value. Its equity market is convoluted and stagnant. So why all the hype and hysteria? Theodore J Kim reports.

As banks get ready to divide up their bonus pool in December or early January, some fixed income traders had better get ready to be disappointed.

Noriba exits some investments early after strong performance.

CLSA and Asian Corporate Governance Association (ACGA) published their annual corporate governance rankings this year entitled “The Holy Grail”. The research, pored over by zealous regulators eager to pat themselves on the back, scores Asian markets on various issues affecting corporate governance, including regulation, enforcement and even “culture” (see table). Most notable this year is Taiwan’s jump up the table and Korea’s slide down it.

General Electric’s consumer finance division is entering agent banking, hoping to get business from retail banks seeking to outsource their credit card businesses. Industry commentators believe the move could bring GE $250 million of additional profit over the next five years.

Conditions attached to buy-out completion is more a sign of desperation than discernment.

Brazilian and Mexican derivatives markets gain sophistication.

Analysts expect the Province of Buenos Aires to achieve a 90% participation rate for its $3 billion debt restructuring, when it closes on December 16. If it succeeds, it will be a stunning result, given that those investors who accept the restructuring own debt worth about 40 cents on the original dollar.

Wondering what to do with that well-earned bonus? Embarrassed by unsightly bulges when you’re working out at the gym?

Cash offer for O2 prompts concerns that telecoms sector might be about to embark on another debt binge.

Thai and Malaysian companies performed strongly in this year’s annual survey of which companies leading financial analysts rate as the best in Asia. Paul Pedzinski reports.

Announcing its second annual report, Temasek Holdings, a Singapore-based private-equity group owned by the Singapore government, announced total shareholder returns in 2004 of 16% on its investment portfolio, down from the 46% returns earned during the previous year.

As bankers work feverishly to complete mandated China and Hong Kong IPOs before the final window shuts ahead of the Christmas break, there are hints of investor indigestion.

Deutsche survey finds CFOs think they are great at what they do.

It is one of the great ironies of the European bond market that one of the largest market distortions occurs within the sovereign sector and are caused by the direct actions of Europe’s sovereign debt managers. The regulatory environment in Europe is tighter than ever, with the EU taking an aggressive and sometimes misguided stance in its aim of eliminating distortions in the capital markets, notably with its Market Abuse Directive and MiFID. And yet, despite all the EU’s talk of market efficiency, it ignores the market abuse happening right under its nose.

M&A activity is changing the Asian banking landscape and the relative positions of banks in Euromoney’s rankings.

With “no comment” seemingly the stock response to any question that is not about the latest all-singing, all-dancing enhancement to their internet trading platform, senior level appointment or record day, being a press officer or PR for an FX player is probably the easiest job in the market. To encourage more openness, it might be time for Euromoney to launch new categories in its highly regarded and prestigious polls – “most and least helpful press officers of the month”. Polling has already started.

Banks are expanding their presence in energy trading – again. But with two established incumbents, is there enough profitable business for the newcomers? Kathryn Tully reports.

A spate of poor deals gets the investment bankers thinking. After a difficult October, in which initial public offerings met with a variety of fates, attention last month swung once again to the IPO process itself.

GSAM's boutique structure provides a potential model for other asset managers.

It may not be the sort of lead arranging mandate Deutsche Bank normally undertakes, but it’s for a very good cause.

Modest though it might appear, China's first fully-fledged buyout of a state-owned enterprise is significant.

Help could be at hand for market makers in jumbo Pfandbriefe that want to hedge spread movements between different issuers.

From an asset class perspective, the CDO sector dominates the pipeline and within that sector CLO issuance is at the vanguard.