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Mahathir Mohamad, prime minister of Malaysia, shows an increasing tendency to talk rubbish. Commenting in early September on foreign investor selling of Malaysian stocks and the ringgit, he said: "They are racists. I say it openly. They are not happy to see us prosper."

How can Russia's small and underfunded equity brokers break into the more lucrative areas of investment banking? By joining forces with foreign institutions, according to the conventional wisdom. But one local broker may have found a different way to turn itself into a major player. In mid-August, details emerged of a deal that brings together Russia's largest securities broker, Troika-Dialog, and the city of Moscow, likely to be one of the country's major sources of financing business over the next few years. The Bank of Moscow, in which the city of Moscow holds a majority stake, will form a strategic alliance with Troika-Dialog. After completion of a share purchase for an undisclosed sum, Bank of Moscow will own 20% of Troika and Andrei Borodine, the Bank of Moscow president, will have a seat on its board of directors.

Winning the China game

Singling out the individual may appear out of keeping with the vogue for emphasizing the team. But in China, having the right individual on board is the most important factor in business success.

When Gao Xi-Qing arrived in Hong Kong in August his arrival was greeted by a typhoon called Victor. Staff at Bank of China already acknowledge that typhoon Gao, their new boss, is set to shake things up more than your average king-wind.

A budget, a new credit policy and a report into currency convertibility, all introduced in the first half of this year, have boosted investor confidence. Phillip Moore analyzes their significance.

Traditional habits are disappearing as Austria's economy is overturned in the quest for survival in Europe and more opportunities in the former communist states, reports Nigel Dudley.

During his more than three years at the helm of the Bank of Portugal, 42-year-old Antonio de Sousa has successfully managed a delicate balancing act, avoiding the disputes over monetary policy that had often flared between the central bank and the treasury.

For emerging-market bond investors in the know, the former Soviet Union - especially central Asia - is the place to be. Debt markets have rallied across the board, yields are mostly buoyant, and currencies have held their own against the dollar. But title and settlement can sometimes be a little hairy. Theodore Kim investigates the excitement.

Hostile bids and privatization have loosened bank/company relations and let in the foreign investment banks. There's no looking back. By Laura Covill.

Finance Minister and Central Banker of the Year: The regional winners

As it tried to fend off speculative attacks against the baht this summer, the Central Bank of Thailand played every trick it knew, from the conventional to the heavy-handed, to prop up the currency. This included raiding firms suspected of spreading negative rumours and black-listing investment banks that lent to hedge funds. James Sinclair reports.