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VTB Capital has changed the date of its Russia Calling! conference, highlighting “mounting pressure from clients’ in-laws” as the reason for moving the event so that it doesn't clash with Thanksgiving in the US.

Central bank independence has long been one of the sacred cows of western financial policy, but the rise of populist politicians is increasing the possibility that it might be on the way to the abattoir.

Deutsche Bank’s plan to create a new non-core unit, housing €50bn of assets largely from its markets and banking businesses, is just more of the same old Deutsche restructuring plan, warmed over for a new management team. If a non-core unit, cuts to costs, simplification of business lines, a dash of IT spending and a focus on the best businesses didn’t work when Deutsche stock was at €30, why would it work at €6?

Giovanni Tria, Italy’s minister of economy and finance, rebuffed the chances of a controversial ‘Mini BOT’ financial instrument coming into effect, as he gave a keynote address at the start of Euromoney's Global Borrowers and Bond Investors Forum in London on Tuesday.

A UBS economist’s allegedly offensive comment about "Chinese pigs" has ensnared the Swiss bank in a series of unfortunate events, including being kicked off a planned dollar bond deal for China Railway Construction Corp. The backlash is overblown but serves as a warning for banks dealing with China.

FRANKFURT PRIVATE DEBT ROUNDTABLE The Schuldschein market has kept up its momentum across Europe and elsewhere, but two regions have been curiously quiet. Iberia and Italy have implied investment grade borrowers well suited to the market, yet only a few have been tempted to use it. Are there barriers to entry and how can they be overcome?

Europe’s private debt markets are progressing admirably. More and more companies are issuing, or at least aware of the possibility — and they have a varied choice of markets. Players in the Schuldschein and US PP markets are confident and looking ahead to new opportunities, as the products grow in geographical reach, asset class and technique. As Jon Hay reports, there’s just one snag — the credit cycle is nearing its end.

Flushed with years of popularity in Germany and its neighbouring countries, Schuldschein arrangers have begun to look across the globe for new borrowers to tempt to the market. This year has brought the first transaction from India, and many say Reliance Industries’ success may spur more non-European entities to target the Schuldschein investors. Silas Brown reports.

VIENNA PRIVATE DEBT ROUNDTABLE The Schuldschein market is widening its circle of issuers and investors. It is now a natural choice for Austrian companies wanting to complement bank funding, but not necessarily big enough to issue public bonds.

The Schuldschein market has become a hotbed of technological innovation over the past 12 months, with as many as 11 digital platforms cropping up, claiming to have solutions to the instrument’s age-old, if slightly charming, inefficiencies. Silas Brown looks into the secrets to a digital platform’s success.

The Euro private placement as an organised, visible, investment grade-like market has disappointed its founders. But despite unfavourable monetary policy, institutional corporate lending has taken hold. As Jon Hay discovers, the deals are there — but well camouflaged.

LONDON PRIVATE DEBT ROUNDTABLE The UK’s private debt market is one of the most vibrant in Europe. London is the most active centre in Europe for US private placement investing, and UK borrowers have longstanding links with that market.