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With all that has happened in the last few months in Russia and Ukraine, heads of DCM must be thinking about taking axes to their headcounts. But to start swinging them would be foolish when the market could still bounce back and annual refinancing volumes are about to rocket.

The world of Hong Kong banking is often accused of being an insular one. Everyone knows everyone else and one poor decision can dog you till the end of days, with people unfailingly reminding you of past indiscretions just when you’re beginning to have a good time at the pub.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has tried to cut the risk of runs in the money market fund industry by introducing liquidity fees and redemption gates. But as the Federal Reserve has just pointed out, by doing so it has done the opposite of what it intended, and made the funds more like banks.

Indonesia’s Berau Coal Energy tried to tip the balance in its favour with its bond offering last week by asking investors to take on greater risk but not compensating them for it. Unsurprisingly, the deal did not see the finish line. BCE would do well to keep in mind the age old adage that you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

With all that has happened in the last few months in Russia and Ukraine, heads of DCM must be thinking about taking axes to their headcounts. But to start swinging them would be foolish when the market could still bounce back and annual refinancing volumes are about to rocket.

News last week that a minor tweak in S&P’s corporate loan rating methodology could win them back market share in the lucrative new issue CLO market reignited the debate about the business model of issuers paying to be rated. Even if S&P’s internal controls and the Chinese wall which they insist exists between commercial and analytical considerations is robust, market participants clearly do not believe it. It is time to overhaul the way the credit ratings industry works.

It’s a big year for a major European bank, with the office set to move to a new building and excitement in the air.

Bankers are feeling the squeeze these days. So when it comes to the issue of school fees, creative thinking may be required, especially in London where competition for the best schools is keen and fees are even keener.

With some Russian loan deals progressing despite US and EU sanctions, those borrowers who find support among banks should make sure they reward that loyalty later. But nobody wants to sour relations, so banks which choose not to lend must have long list of reasons why they can’t. Russian borrowers should not take it personally — they are going to need all the friends they can get, so more carrot and less stick is the way to see deals through.

Banks are under pressure to lend to Russian borrowers. But although bankers have grown accustomed to moving mountains for the Russian issuers, they should not fear the repercussions if this time they cannot.

The US Federal Reserve told 11 banks last week that they had failed utterly to draft so called living wills — plans for how they would raise capital in a crisis and how they could be resolved in a hurry if they go under. It was right, they had failed. But the whole concept of living wills is shonky.

With some Russian loan deals progressing despite US and EU sanctions, those borrowers who find support among banks should be make sure they reward that loyalty later. But nobody wants to sour relations, meaning that banks which choose not to lend must have an arm-length list of reasons why they can’t. So Russian borrowers should not take it personally – they are going to need all the friends they can get, so more carrot and less stick is the way to see deals through.