Whatever the conclusion of the bid war for ABN Amro, it will put the Dutch bank’s prize Brazilian asset, Banco Real, into the ring.

The ultimate local market, real estate is also open to being globalized as an asset class. Great strides have been made in doing this and there’s more to come.

Unsolicited approach looks as if it could get nasty.

Following the departure of Sebastian Chatel to Credit Suisse, UBS has named Evandro Pereira as its new head of Latin American equity capital markets. Managing director Pereira previously ran capital markets in Brazil at UBS Pactual. He will now report to Tom Fox and Matthew Koder, co-heads of global ECM.

Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) came to the market in January with a $350 million Eurobond and became the first domestic borrower from Nigeria to access the international markets. Since then, two other banks, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) and First City Monument Bank (FCMB), have also completed international deals.

Euromoney has incorporated its annual credit research poll into a new fixed income research survey. The intention has been to give those banks that no longer follow the traditional fundamental sell-side credit research model a chance to be nominated by their clients.

Fast-growing Russian Agricultural Bank plays a key role in promoting economic development in the Russian countryside. Guy Norton talks to Yuri Trushin, the bank’s chairman, about the challenges it faces.

Buying into the IPO of a private equity company is like a game of pass the parcel in which someone has already made off with the prize. Those that choose to play will end up disappointed.

Ulf Persson, managing partner of Mint Capital, talks to Guy Norton about the challenges of the Russian private equity market.

A series of CMBS deals have triggered or are threatening to trigger their available funds caps.

Is Poland the new Russia? Not in economic superpower terms, but in riding roughshod over the wishes of foreign investors?

You need look no further than Baring Vostok Capital Partners to see how far alternative asset management has developed in Russia.

If marrying a multi-millionaire hedge fund manager is appealing in any way, women should check out the competition they face in New York Magazine’s listing of the top six hedge fund managers’ wives in April.

George Nianias talks to Guy Norton about the challenges of unearthing corporate debt opportunities in the far-flung reaches of Russia.

Bank hires entire team of Ritchie Capital Management in Hong Kong.

After years of stellar performance can Russia’s hedge fund managers continue to produce such strong returns for their investors? Guy Norton reports from Moscow.

Çalik Holding is one of the Turkey’s largest conglomerates, with total assets of $2.4 billion. It has interests in textiles, construction, energy, telecommunications, financial services and trade. Chloe Hayward talks to Çalik’s management about the company’s debut bond issue and the impressive growth path that lies ahead.

Macro fund on losing streak; incentive fees down 88% in February quarter.

Forget Sarkozy versus Royal, forget Brown versus Miliband, forget even Barclays versus RBS/Santander/Fortis. There is only one current standoff that matters: Cannes versus Paris.

The Russian investment story is moving outside Moscow and St Petersburg. A wave of foreign investors, led by the EBRD, is heading out into the Russian regions, looking for the next frontier of investment bargains.

Euroweek, Euromoney’s sister publication, threw a lavish bash at London’s Royal Courts of Justice in April to celebrate its 1,000th edition and the 20 years the newspaper has spent covering the trillions of dollars that have been raised in the international capital markets during that period.

Can you afford to invest in Cuba’s London Club NPLs and maybe wait 20 years for a restructuring? Perhaps not, but there are other potential winning bets on the wilder shores of the emerging markets.

Latest securitization refinancing of GHG healthcare group is a puzzlingly complex hybrid deal that will be largely retained by arranger Barcap.

In 20 years, RZB has gone from being an Austrian also-ran to a central and eastern European market leader. Much of its success is attributable to the vision of Raiffeisen International’s CEO, Herbert Stepic. No wonder he is known to the Austrian masses as ‘Der Cash-Man’. Guy Norton looks at RZB’s ambitious plans for further expansion in the region, and Sudip Roy finds out what keeps the fire burning in Stepic’s belly.

The booming Saudi economy is drawing the big international banks into the Kingdom, hoping to make a fortune from selling their expertise in banking and investment products to its wealthy individuals. If the newcomers expect to trample over the local incumbents, they had better be careful not to trip over Samba. It even provides a lesson in how Saudi bankers can thrive once freed from the dead hand of a big international parent. Peter Lee reports.