Financial services

The European Central Bank: The ECB can't substitute for periphery financial reform

Credit easing in Europe might work, but may not be worth the risk6

The European Central Bank: Only the ECB can improve bank credit supply

Without a European Funding for Lending scheme, conditions will continue to worsen6

Buttonwood: Caveat voter

The euro zone’s financial set-up doesn’t look very democratic1

Turkish banks: The lure of the Bosphorus

Foreign banks are vying for a foothold in Turkey1

Schumpeter: A hospital case

Sweden is leading the world in allowing private companies to run public institutions44

Fixed income, currencies and commodities: A FICC for your trouble

The beating heart of investment banking is ailing0

Emerging markets: Lands of eternal promise

In emerging markets, local and regional banks are increasingly beating global ones0

Why scale matters: We happy few

Investment banking is increasingly becoming a game of winner-takes-all1

Twilight of the gods

Investment banking faces a leaner, humbler future, says Jonathan Rosenthal, though a select few banks will emerge from the financial crisis even larger and more powerful16

Regulation: The bite is worse than the bark

New regulation poses a threat to investment banks, and more is on the way0

Privatising British banks: Cutting losses

The government might as well sell its stakes in Lloyds and RBS1

The outlook: Down to Earth

The industry has been drastically downsized, but the biggest banks will still do well3

Securities lending: Spring break

A practice which underpins swathes of the financial system faces turmoil0

Investment banks: Wall Street is back

American investment banks dominate global finance once more. That’s not necessarily good for America110

Prosecuting bankers: Blind justice

Why have so few bankers gone to jail for their part in the crisis?135

German bank reform: Do not pass go, do not collect £200

Germany's plans to ring-fence banks and jail risk managers look flawed5

Hedge funds: Launch bad

Breaking into the hedge-fund world is harder than before5

Electronic trading: Dutch fleet

The home of the world’s first stock exchange is now a high-frequency heartland7