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The Argentine government is attempting to re-integrate its economy into the rest of the world. The recent debt repayment agreement with the Paris Club is the latest evidence of tentative reductions in political risk. The run-up to the 2015 presidential election looks set to be one of gradual growth, but the economy in which local banks are operating and the persistence of strict government regulations on lending rates to retail SME segments still present operational challenges.

Competitors might try to write Goldman Sachs off, yet it remains the bank that the biggest companies head to for advice.

Another strong performance in a challenging operating environment earned Banka Kombetare Tregtare (BKT) the top spot in Albania again this year. Despite almost nonexistent growth in the wider economy, the country’s number two lender leveraged its dominant position in the retail market to expand its loan book by 3.7% and its deposit base by an impressive 14.4%, boosting its share of the overall deposit market by 1.8 percentage points to 21.9%. BKT was also one of very few Albanian lenders to see an improvement in its bottom line in 2013, with net profit up 27.1% to a sector-best $39.3 million. Return on equity was slightly below the bank’s long-term average, but remained healthy at 16.6% for the full year, and was back up to 17.5% in the first quarter of 2014.

Strength and expertise across borders, industries and products are just some of the enduring hallmarks of a powerful franchise.

Clarity of focus gives Morgan Stanley the edge in helping clients to raise capital, its bankers say.

Less than three years ago UBS was written off as one of the ultimate victims of the financial crisis. The bold decisions taken then by a new chief executive and his management team make it today a bank that others seek to emulate. Sergio Ermotti pinned UBS’s future to the core of its leading global wealth management business. Now the business is starting to look more than the sum of its parts.

About the Awards for Excellence

Euromoney’s Awards for Excellence cover more than 20 global product categories, best-in-class awards in all regions and the best banks in close to 100 countries around the world. The full results are available here and are accessible by subscribers.

A battle-tested management team has held on through the turbulent years following Bank of America’s rescue of Merrill Lynch. Under Tom Montag, the firm quietly rebuilt an M&A capability that is thriving as that business roars back, supported by the bank’s strength in providing finance. As other banks shrink, BofA Merrill still harbours ambitions at home and abroad to be all things to most people.

Responding to data collection requirements demanded by regulators is one of the biggest challenges banks face. With its DSL platform, HSBC is taking a lead.

The rise of the European market means global players need to think beyond New York. Goldman Sachs leads the way.

Last autumn, Danske Bank would have been an improbable candidate for best bank in Denmark. In September, new CEO Thomas Borgen replaced Eivind Kolding, who was shown the door after an unhappy tenure that had lasted only 19 months. One of Borgen’s first priorities was to inject a healthy dose of realism into Danske’s ambitions, cutting the bank’s ROE target for 2015 from 12% to 9%.