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Issuer: Punch GroupDeal: asset-backed securitizationAmount: £1.5 billionDate: June 2000 Bookrunner: Citi/SSSBLead managers: Goldman Sachs and RBS Financial Markets

Best High Grade issue Issuer: Conagra Amount: $1.65 billion Date: September 15 2000 Bookrunner: Merrill Lynch

With a first round of bank restructuring that killed off more than half the country’s banks behind it, Korea is now facing up to consolidating what is left, ostensibly to enhance competitiveness and create economies of scale. It’s not clear, though, that the timing is right or that the government’s approach to mergers is appropriate or sufficiently disinterested.

Babur Ozden discusses prospects for the Turkish Internet sector.

"The boys have made a mess of it," mused Brian Winterflood, chairman of Winterflood Securities, on hearing the news of the appointment of Clara Furse as the first woman chief executive in the 228-year history of the London Stock Exchange, "so why not let the girls have a go?"

Issuer: Tyco Amount: $3.45 billionBookrunner: Merrill Lynch

Japan’s ministry of finance has lost face in the past decade as an arbiter of business development. The complexities of market growth have overwhelmed it, the collapse of a Liberal Democratic monopoly has removed its political underpinnings and scandalous revelations have been made about its corrupt practices. Now it has lost its traditional name. Despite the rise of rivals such as the Financial Services Agency and attempts by politicians to bypass MoF’s budget functions it’s far from clear who is in charge.

Japan's Ministry of Finance building has the feel of a British public school, and its occupants consider themselves the real rulers of Japan.

Best tech acquiror Company: JDS Uniphase Deal: acquisition of E-Tek; acquisition of SDL Announced: January 19th (E-Tek); July 10th (SDL) Size: $15.5 billion (E-Tek); $41 billion (SDL) Advisors: Thomas Weisel Partners (for JDS in E-Tek deal); Goldman Sachs (for E-Tek); Thomas Weisel Partners (for SDL); Banc of America Securities and CIBC World Markets (for JDS in SDL deal)

The abrupt resignation of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter's president, John Mack, is the most serious yet in a series of setbacks over the past six months for a firm once seemingly immune to crises.

The First step in building a strong bank is to have a strong, defined franchise. And each of Singapore’s banks can claim some success in one or two areas. But none has a really strong franchise worthy of a domestic, let alone regional, leader. And this is largely the result of complacent neglect of customer needs.

It was a volatile year in the capital markets, as the telecoms sector clearly showed but still there were standout deals amid the chaos. Antony Currie, Anja Helk, Peter Lee, Julian Marshall, Jennifer Morris and Felix Salmon look back over 2000.