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Nobody in their right mind would spend the week before Christmas trawling through the credit outlooks for 2006 published by investment banks, so Euromoney has done it for you. The good times should continue to roll, but look out for some painful bumps along the way.

India is fast becoming a remote front and middle office for the banking industry.

The investment manager reckons there is a wider market for its products.

A new series of private banking indices is to be launched this month, replacing those ABN Amro established in May.

Kazakhstan’s three biggest banks dominate the industry, but there are opportunities for the country’s second-tier institutions. Patrick Gill reports.

HSBC Amanah remains the undisputed regional heavyweight, but the 2006 award has gone to Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), ahead of HSBC and last year’s winner National Commercial Bank. DIB’s list of achievements is extensive, particularly its project financing and sukuk work (see best sukuk house). According to Aref Kooheji, executive vice-president of investment and corporate banking, as the world’s first Islamic bank – it opened in 1975 – DIB has been able to capitalize on its long experience and has become involved in providing innovative structural financing solutions for a number of large projects and institutions in the GCC region and elsewhere.

Saudi Arabia’s Bank Al Jazira dominates the field of life takaful in terms of both volume and innovation, and helped to develop the Saudi insurance market following the introduction of new insurance legislation. The bank beat Munich-based financial services company FWU Group to take the top spot in this category.

Although Asad Zafar, managing director of HSBC Amanah, stresses that the bank’s activities are wider than just project financing, its activities in this field were remarkable in the 11 months from December 2004 to November 2005.

Search the results Dexia Asset Management has carved out a successful niche as a leader in socially responsible investment. It tops the poll for best provider of ethical investments globally and in western Europe, as well as in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Search the results Four years ago Brazil’s Banco Itaú committed itself to building a world-class private bank. Its efforts are already paying off