Convertible arbitrage and short-selling have been the cornerstones of hedge fund strategies. Competition and difficult underlying markets, however, are forcing managers to reconsider their game plans.

Continued fuel subsidies will make it difficult to cope with rising oil prices.

A new borrower is using securitization technology to help save lives.

Singapore government investment fund Temasek Holdings completed its long-trailed debut bond in September, raising $1.75 billion in 10-year money. The deal was increased from an original $1 billion amid strong demand for paper that was AAA-rated by Moody's and Standard & Poor's.

Investment by foreign banks and investors in domestic Chinese banks is not over, but it seems that the recent frenzy of activity has abated, with most of the big deals now signed or at least agreed.

Who's buying whom?

"One thing we can say definitively is that we do not have a desire to be a bulge-bracket investment bank. Ours is a more measured approach. We will only grow domestically and internationally where our client base and potential client base leads us."

Private-equity combos turn to ABS market on second biggest ever buyout deal.

Big bank players back electronic developments from a regional exchange.

Dutch law MTN programme enables simpler structure.

Covered bond issuers are increasingly clear about the merits of solid execution, as Santander's and DexMa's latest deals show.

In recent months several European central banks have started to diversify their portfolios, having traditionally bought only government debt. Leading fund managers are in the frame to manage credit portfolios of central bank reserves.

Hybrid debt issuance continues to be the main focus for the European corporate bond market.

After a failed foray into treasuries, Eurex US is now pinning its business development plans on currency futures.

Questions remain over how best to price ultra long-dated linkers and the role of hedge funds.

Tourism, travel and manufacturing are the targets of investment worth up to HK$15 billion.

New fixed-income products often attract pet names from market participants and commentators. Sadly, in the covered bond sector, the emergence of the UK product came and went without a catchy nickname being dreamt up.

It's pretty unlikely that Hugo Chávez calls too many of his friends "homies" or knows the difference between Grandmaster Flash and Tupac Shakur. But that didn't stop him from being cheered during a visit to the Bronx last month.

But owner banks should be cautious about the effects of a spin-off.

Flotation of the UK fund manager still only one of several strategies being considered.

The City of London's usual summer slowdown was even more apparent than usual this summer as bankers' attention was grabbed by the most exciting Test Match series ever. England narrowly beat Australia for the Ashes, the sport of cricket's most prized trophy. The UK population, normally only interested in the histrionics of footballers and their wives, fell in love with cricket once again as England outplayed their arch-rivals for the first time in almost 20 years.

The 2012 London Olympics are likely to go over budget because of FX risk

After three years of heavy losses, Argentina's banks are once again in the black. The sustainability of their recovery, though, depends on expanded lending to the private sector and greater duration for their liabilities. Sudip Roy reports.

The UAE's financial regulator, the Securities and Commodities Authority, announced on September 6 that the case of two individuals and a brokerage suspected of manipulating the stock price of Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) had been referred to the judiciary.

But liquidity – as yet limited to indices – has still to take off on single names.

Paying a pop star to perform at your wedding is so underwhelming. At least, this seems to have been the thinking behind 33-year-old Russian billionaire Andrei Melnichenko's decision to employ not one but four during his nuptials to model and former Miss Yugoslavia Aleksandra Kokotovich in Antibes, France, last month.

Hugo Chávez watch

Sovereign also issues first global deal denominated in local currency.

Hurricane Katrina has wreaked havoc in numerous ways but insurance companies appear well positioned to deal with the single largest event in the industry's history.

A long-only fund run by traditional asset manager bears little resemblance to the long-only fund run by a hedge fund.