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Bahamas I Bardados I Bermuda I Dominician Republic I Jamaica I Trinidad & Tobago I Costa Rica I El Salvador I Guatemala I Honduras I Nicaragua I Panama I Argentina I Bolivia I Brazil I Chile I Columbia I Ecuador I Mexico I Paraguay I Peru I Uruguay I Venezuela BankBoston Uruguay, which specializes in leasing, corporate finance, trade services and cash management, is the number two private bank in the country, with $708 million in assets. In the first four months of this year, BankBoston posted a $1.78 million profit, recovering from a loss in the same period in 2005, outperforming the country’s other main financial institutions, including ABN Amro, which reported a 24% drop in the same period, and Banco República, whose profits fell 6%. BankBoston’s loan growth soared 30% in the first quarter, building on strong asset, loan and profit growth last year. The bank, which is owned by Bank of America, is likely to make a profitable addition to Brazil’s second largest private bank, Banco Itaú, which bought the Brazilian unit of Bank of America in $2.2 billion in a deal that gives it exclusive rights to purchase BankBoston in Uruguay.

The French bank has taken the lead in developing structured notes and innovating in products linked to inflation, FX rates and equity.

Australia I China I Hong Kong I India I Indonesia I Japan I Malaysia I Mongolia I Pakistan I Philippines I Singapore I Taiwan I Thailand Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) is Vietnam’s fourth-largest bank, with $1.5 billion of assets but it is the largest joint stock banks and as such is one of the best run. Management controls more than one-third of the outstanding stock, with several institutional shareholders holding much of the balance. Standard Chartered Bank acquired a 8.56% stake for $22 million in 2005.

What lessons did Stan O’Neal learn from the restructuring of Merrill Lynch at the turn of the decade? What are Merrill’s plans in mortgages, private equity and asset management? And what continues to drive Merrill’s CEO forward? O’Neal reveals all to Clive Horwood in his first in-depth interview since becoming the firm’s chairman and CEO.

The US firm has a powerful reputation for innovating around clients and for spotting opportunities faster than most. It is also one of the biggest liquidity providers in flow products.

Bahamas I Bardados I Bermuda I Dominician Republic I Jamaica I Trinidad & Tobago I Costa Rica I El Salvador I Guatemala I Honduras I Nicaragua I Panama I Argentina I Bolivia I Brazil I Chile I Colombia I Ecuador I Mexico I Paraguay I Peru I Uruguay I Venezuela

The bank has gone from rank outsider to top underwriter in less than five years.

The German bank continues to lead innovation, eagerly taking on cash risk positions to feed its risk transformation business.

Five years ago, the bank wasn’t even a top 10 player, but thanks to some innovative thinking and the Barx trading platform, it has proven that being biggest isn’t necessarily best.

Botswana I Ethopia I The Gambia I Ghana I Kenya I Malawi I Mauritius I Namibia I Nigeria I Senegal I South Africa I Swaziland I Tanzania I Togo I Uganda I Zambia I Zimbabwe Swaziland’s economy has had a tough time in recent years, with a quarter of the population requiring food aid in 2004/05 as a result of a drought. GDP grew just 1.8% in 2005 and the country also attained the unwelcome distinction of overtaking Botswana to have the highest rate of HIV/Aids in the world: nearly two-fifths of the population is infected, putting severe pressure on economic performance.

Asia's best bank in 2006 is retained by the same bank that has held steadily on to it for the past seven years. There are few indications that it will relinquish this award soon.

Merrill Lynch has worked hard to fill the gaps in its CDO franchise this year and exported significant innovation into Europe.