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Ewa Wisniewska, the new president of Poland's largest bank, has her work cut out for her. On one side of the modern office tower in mid-town Warsaw where she works, there is a large sign that says "Bank Pekao SA"; on the other, the sign says "Grupa (Group) Pekao SA".

Last National Bank of Boot Hill,

It's all in the price

Touted as the world's first Federal Reserve Board-approved internet bank, Security First Network Bank (SFNB) was one of 1996's hottest internet IPOs. The $48.8 million deal, sole-managed by Friedman Billings Ramsey, a Virginia-based investment-banking boutique, was priced at $20 a share. Some early investors may have done well, as the share price more than doubled to $45 soon after launch. But the virtual bank, which had garnered only about $55 million in deposits by the end of 1997, was just a little too far ahead of its time. The Atlanta-based company focused on developing its widely acclaimed software, and didn't have anything left over to build the bank. Losses for 1996 and 1997 totalled $50 million, $3 million more than SFNB had raised during the public offering. The stock sank into the single digits last year.

Flush with optimism, Asia's airlines ordered new aircraft worth billions of dollars. Then came the crisis. Companies are cutting back on business travel, tourists are staying at home - and the airlines still have to service their debts. Hotel chains, tour operators and the world's big aircraft manufacturers are suffering too. Chris Wright reports.

Strapped for the cash to build international-style hotels, the Ukraine government is sprucing up its Soviet-era buildings and housing EBRD delegates on boats instead. But the real difficulty will be creating a service culture in time for the conference. Suzanne Miller reports

Peregrine's last days, by Andre Lee

He has been brought back to save Malaysia, just as he did in the mid-1980s when he dragged the country out of recession. Can he do it again? Tun Daim Zainuddin spoke to Steven Irvine about transparency, empty monorails and the problems with Malaysia's financial system.

Peregrine's last days, by Andre Lee

Were you doing anything different from other salesmen at international firms?

Peregrine's last days, by Andre Lee

Peregrine's last days, by Andre Lee