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When Moody's boosted India's rating on January 21, it added fuel to a stock market already breathless from its steep climb last year. Citing India's strong external payments position and progress on peace talks with Pakistan, the rating agency raised India's long-term foreign currency rating to investment grade; India still has a non-investment grade ratings from other agencies.

Managing director, art and numismatics services, UBS

Since 1974, political stability in Cyprus has been tarnished by continued struggles between Turkish and Greek interests. In turn, its progression as a financial centre has been halted by the perception of it as a tax haven for money of questionable origin. But in the past few years, Cyprus has had good reason to celebrate a marked departure from these images, particularly with its accession to the EU due in May.

On the first day of next year Turkey will stop being world champion for the number of zeros in its currency. In January the Assembly passed a law authorising the government to redenominate the lira by throwing away six zeros from the currency. The lira became bloated over decades of endemic inflation, which made every Turk a millionaire. The minimum wage is TL303 million ($230). Since 1980 the central bank has been obliged to issue new banknotes every two years.

As November's US presidential election draws near, interest grows in how the Federal Reserve is going to balance managing the economy and managing candidate's demands.

For one emerging-markets issuer at least, the US-led invasion of Iraq has proved a bonus.

These days it's no fun being an analyst, what with all the sniping at your reputation. Imagine if, on top of that, you're struggling to find a date.

War, epidemics and political uncertainty dominated the financial landscape in 2003, interrupting roadshows, delaying deals and making it difficult to predict market movements. Some issuers pulled their deals. But others found ways to meet new types of investor demand. Volatile equity markets sparked unusual convertibles. Warmer sentiment towards Russia produced a whole range of deals. Hostile takeovers returned. And high-yield bonds and LBOs enjoyed a resurgence. Antony Currie, Julian Evans, Deborah Kimbell, Chris Leahy and Katie Martin report

Large US banks with ambitions to become national franchise players now see that dream become more possible as slipping earnings bring weaker banks within acquisition range. Mergers look like the only way to grow. But along with the announcement of high-profile deals investors are making it clear that they have not forgotten the mistakes of the merger-manic 1990s. Antony Currie reports.

The imminent accession of 10 countries to the European Union comes at an inauspicious time for the EU project, with the collapse of constitutional proposals and an undermined Stability and Growth Pact. This will alter accession countries' attitudes to their obligations, with consequences for eastern European finance. Julian Evans reports.

Parmalat's collapse is leading regulators to question how a multi-billion dollar disaster was not foreseen and averted.