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Russia is now subject to its toughest economic sanctions since the end of the Cold War. With the US and Europe effectively closed to them, Russian borrowers are searching for other options. Asia is top of their list, but they are unlikely to find the support they want.

It would be absurd for a banker to lobby for a ban on the instrument of his or her trade. And yet, the European Union’s latest round of sanctions against Russia has created an absurdist’s dream in which syndicated loans were not banned but it might well have been better for western bankers if they had been.

As Hong Kong’s financial marketplace becomes increasingly reliant on the Chinese mainland for its IPOs, Singapore’s big opportunity perhaps lies with international issuers — and those from Southeast Asia in particular, writes Philippe Espinasse.

Since seizing power on May 22, the country’s generals have pledged bold political and economic reforms aimed at returning it to a stable path of growth. Can they fix the nation’s problems? Ben Davies reports.

With the policies of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unlikely to greatly reinvigorate economic momentum, the country’s investors are seeking other areas to make money. South-east Asia is likely to be the key beneficiary. Richard Morrow reports.

The head of China Renaissance is spearheading his group’s ascent into becoming a senior adviser for new listings and M&A. He tells Asiamoney about his hopes to develop the group within China and beyond. Ian Driscoll reports.

CIMB is set to create Malaysia’s largest bank through a three way merger with RHB Capital and Malaysian Building Society. The institution could become a Southeast Asian giant, provided it can take full advantage of the synergies it needs to conduct. Richard Morrow reports.

The Philippines' economy has become one of the best-regarded across Asia, getting plaudits from ratings analysts and economists, and growing at a stunning 7.2% last year. It should be little surprise in this context that the bond market is now growing at an eye-popping rate. But although things are certainly looking up for bond market participants in the country, bond issuance is still tiny compared to some of its Asian rivals. This is a problem for issuers and investors alike. Rosalia De Leon, national treasurer of the Philippines, delivered a keynote speech to the audience of this series of roundtables, making clear that there is plenty of room for the domestic debt market to grow in the years to come. Asiamoney sat down with a high-level panel of market participants to find out how to make that happen.

The Philippines may have made real progress in infrastructure financing, but the bond market still plays no role in helping projects get funded. This is partly down to the lack of development in the conventional bond market, but market participants think there can also be much more done to improve understanding among domestic investors — and to help Philippine companies reach investors from other countries. At this point, much of the discussion about using the bond market for project financing is hypothetical. But there is no doubt that these discussions are important for the future of the country and its citizens. Asiamoney sat down with a distinguished panel of speakers to figure out how the bond market can be brought into the project financing effort, and why it is not playing a bigger role at the moment.

The Philippines has made strides forward in infrastructure development over the last few years. But perhaps more importantly, it has made even bigger steps in putting in place the means of financing more crucial infrastructure projects in the future. The success of the public-private partnership (PPP) under president Benigno Aquino III may, indeed, be the most lasting and important step of his administration — and Jose Lotilla, undersecretary of transportation and communications, assured guests at this series of roundtables that there are plenty more projects to come. That does not mean all the questions have been answered, however. Executives still complain about delays in putting projects in place, and some uncertainty over future regulations. Funding officials still bemoan the lack of liquidity at longer tenors. But it is clear that things are going in the right direction. Asiamoney sat down with a number of key market participants — including Cosette Canilao, executive director of the PPP programme — to discuss the future of infrastructure funding in the Philippines.

The region’s leading banks, equity brokers and debt houses possess a combination of clear strategy, strong market appeal and good leadership, which has helped see them through a sometimes turbulent year. Asiamoney reveals the standout institutions across the region.

Four banks stood out as the most impressive providers of cash management services in our largest ever poll, underlining the importance of this sector of financial services. Richard Morrow reports.