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Greece’s bond yields tumbled to their lowest levels in years after Moody’s upgraded the sovereign last week, and talk of a second market comeback is of the more optimistic kind than just a few months ago. But Greece’s government — which wants to return to bond issuance this year — and its creditors would do well to remember that we’ve been here before. As always, Greece will never enjoy a full market presence without some real debt relief.

A burst of M&A-related financing has put the spotlight on the Asian leveraged finance market, which some still see as a poor relation to its US, European and Australian equivalents. But recent deals show that Asia’s levfin market has been evolving.

Different countries treat their banks differently, but rarely has that been clearer than last week. The week closed with Italy agreeing to hand Intesa a fat cheque, a free option and state blessing to consolidate its hold on the banking system. The UK, though, started criminal prosecution of its own ‘national champion’, with the Serious Fraud Office unveiling its fraud allegations against Barclays.

Tradeweb becomes Bond Connect’s first foreign trading platform provider, both northbound and southbound fund flows of the Mutual Recognition of Funds scheme pick up speed in May, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (Safe) plans favourable FX policy for Chinese companies investing in Belt and Road projects abroad.

The governor of People’s Bank of China says Chinese banks must face international competition, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) considers changes in Stock Connect daily trading quotas after MSCI’s A-share inclusion, and the Hong Kong Exchange plans to launch CNH and dollar gold futures on July 10.

On Thursday, People’s Bank of China provided some clarity on the operational details of the upcoming Bond Connect. The rules make clear who will be permitted to use the bond link and which electronic platforms investors will be able to trade on. Here’s our summary of the scheme’s key features.

MSCI’s decision on June 21 to include A-shares in its Emerging Markets Index has, once again, unleashed furious debate between those seeing it as another case of global institutions bending the rules to appease China and those always viewing the China glass as half full. But neither view has much to offer in explaining the Mainland’s growing integration in global financial markets.

Market participants are clamouring for sovereigns to join France and enter the green bond market. It would likely help the market, but would it help the environment?

When Banco Popular lost the market's confidence, it ran out of road. Realistic assumptions for recovery rates on bad assets plunged to super-conservative levels. Confidence is the greatest form of solvency, its withdrawal a precursor to insolvency.

There is nothing better than lounging by the sea with a refreshing cocktail in one hand and a good book in the other — a perfect antidote to all the stress that comes from working in the banking industry.

Global index provider MSCI announced on Wednesday that it will begin including Chinese A-shares in its emerging markets index, giving its blessing after three consecutive rejections. Here is GlobalRMB’s lowdown on what you need to know about the upcoming inclusion.

The charging of four Barclays executives and the group itself on Tuesday after a UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation might, at last, satisfy the public desire to see bankers banged up. But it’s hard to see what else it will achieve.