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The new UK Labour government has won fans in the City of London by announcing, after only a few weeks in office, a wholesale reform of financial regulation.

With Russian issuance still in its early days, any new bond is a source of interest and speculation. The City of Moscow's debut didn't disappoint. Charles Piggott reports.

New president Junichi Ujiie says he wants to introduce radical change to clean up and modernize Nomura Securities. If he succeeds, the Japanese house could pick itself up from its recent scandal and bounce back to become a global financial power-house. But first Ujiie must halt the bloody factional infighting that marred the term of his predecessor, Hideo Sakamaki, and wipe out the pernicious influence of two former presidents, the Tabuchis. Garry Evans reports.

Hillboot Intergalactic PLC,

It was a twist of fate. In the same month as Jardine Fleming sacked one of its senior executives for being involved in gun-running for rebels in Papua New Guinea, another man with miltary ties was airing his views on the similarities of banking and soldiering in Fleming's monthly research reports.

Saudi Arabia's capital markets will require reform and liberalization if the kingdom is to build a dynamic economy on what is left of its oil wealth. The Saudi authorities are as aware of this as outside observers and their own bankers, but have been ultra-cautious about implementing change. Philip Moore reports on signs of a quickening pace.

First there were commemorative watches, then there were commemorative bottles of beer - called Red Dawn. Now the Bank of England has joined the crush to make a buck out of Hong Kong's handover to China by printing special £5 notes.

Borrowers: Borrowers start to play a strategic game

Deal: Block trade in BP stock

Issuer: Svensk Exportkredit

Portugal's banking sector has consolidated rapidly since reprivatization but assets of $250 billion are still divided among more than 40 players. Emu and foreign competition demand even more mergers or alliances. The three big controlling families already have informal connections that could form the basis for closer ties.

With its tale of fool's gold and mysterious death, the Bre-X story is on its way to becoming a Hollywood remake of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. The book contracts have been signed, the movie rights sold. But the story is only beginning for the hundreds of investors suing to recover their lost fortunes. Investors claim they were duped by the Canadian company and, in one case, the brokerage and analyst that promoted its stock to stratospheric levels.