Event risk remains the biggest threat to the world’s economic prospects. But globalization means that, although economic imbalances might persist, the likelihood of a major worldwide correction is low.

As Latin America’s local markets develop strongly, banks are still figuring how best to cover them. Should they buy a target, grow organically or even consider a local tie-up? And which markets should they be present in? Sudip Roy reports.

M&A, privatizations and the emergence of a new group of investors have helped boost interest and liquidity in the Portuguese equity market. This is tempting some companies to raise capital on the stock exchange. However, some of the biggest potential deals from the government could go elsewhere. Peter Koh reports from Lisbon.

Egyptian telecoms group Weather Investments continues its penetration of European markets following the acquisition last month of Greek rival TIM Hellas. The deal comes 18 months after the company, which is 97% owned by Naguib Sawiris, bought Italy’s Wind, which was the largest acquisition in Europe by a Middle East concern.

"We lost more money than any other bank during the crisis because of our high profile, and if we speak to the media again at this time we could suffer again. We have worked hard to achieve a lower profile in the press."

As is the fate of most technologies, algorithmic trading is spreading from the developed markets to the developing. Mexican broker-dealer Finamex is the latest to catch the bug, announcing on February 20 that it had chosen US-based Progress Software’s Apama platform to offer algorithmic trading to its buy-side customers.

Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chávez, has signed a deal with London mayor Ken Livingstone to supply the UK’s capital with cheap oil to help run the city’s buses.

Blackstone used a rapid-fire trading-style approach in its recent record-breaking LBO. But can we expect disasters comparable to those of the early 1990s?

Once the ugly duckling of the FX market, the retail segment is now seen as offering rich pickings from those who position themselves correctly.

Some dealers have already suffered from the widening of spreads on the ABX index. Will the problems spread?

Sberbank rights issue leaves the market dazed and confused.

In their rush to capitalize on infrastructure privatizations, lenders are pushing their risk criteria to the limit.

Should prime brokers be supervising their hedge fund clients? Yes appears to be the message sent out by New York bankruptcy court judge Burton Lifland.

A shift of depositary receipt issuance to London comes at a time of soaring interest in the asset class in the US.

Investment bankers have been described as masters of the universe before. Now, according to CLSA, they are getting the chance to prove it.

A survey by Absolute Return magazine indicates that US hedge fund launches slowed in 2006 – the second year of slowdown in a row.

Kotak Mahindra, one of India’s largest financial groups, is launching a fund in the first quarter of this year that offers global institutional investors the possibility of receiving returns above the domestic stock market in a private equity-type offering.

It might be cause for concern rather than enthusiasm when a hedge fund goes for a stock market listing.

It’s best for investors to be cautious and not leap aboard a fad bandwagon.

Use is increasing across the securities industry.

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Military government described as inept, while foreign business wobbles.

Little more than a year ago Commerzbank was the sick man of European finance, seemingly destined to a lonely, perhaps terminal, decline. Now insiders say the surprise acquisition of Eurohypo has given the merged firm, and its investment bank, a new lease of life. Philip Moore reports on the patient’s progress.

A lack of comfort with the new product, and muted risk appetite for the asset class, resulted in thin market conditions for the newly launched ABX tranches – called TABX. The thunder of the much-anticipated start to TABX was stolen by the dramatic price falls in the ABX. Although the pace of innovation in the synthetic ABS sector has been nothing short of breathtaking – in a little over a year the market has developed indices, single-name CDS and now tranches – the latest innovation comes at a time when dealers’ view of the technology is far from clear-cut.

The SEC has launched a probe into allegations that Wall Street firms might be tipping off certain customers, namely hedge funds, before large trades are made by mutual funds, a practice often referred to as "front-running".

Brazil specifically – not Latin America – is one of ABN Amro’s four core markets. And there’s every indication that the Dutch bank intends to keep things that way. Felix Salmon reports

Brazil’s investment banks have always been strong competitors in their home market. Now, as the country’s corporates flex their muscles on the global stage, Lawrence White reports on whether banks such as Itaú and Votorantim see ­themselves as international contenders.

The growth in volumes may be higher across the region, but a NYSE listing still has big advantages for the right companies at the right stage of their development. Felix Salmon reports.

Status boosted by the February decisions of EBS to list it on its screens and of Euroclear to accept it as a settlement currency.

Moody’s announced in February its intention to start publishing pre-sales reports for the faltering US sub-prime RMBS market. These reports will include opinions on the expected cumulative losses and key structural considerations, as well as a transaction’s provisional rating.