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A mass downgrade of eurozone sovereigns, such as that threatened by Monday’s move by Standard & Poor’s to put 15 of them on CreditWatch negative, would certainly be dramatic. But will investors care?

Everyone would love to see something solid come out of Friday’s summitry. But unblocking sovereign markets and restoring confidence means reaching a settlement that will last, not something that will start to fray at the edges at the first sign of democracy.

Analysts warn of dim outlook for asset class as risk appetite falters

Recent drops in iron-ore prices are overplayed, but the world’s mining companies are creating a potential glut in supply for the mineral in a few years’ time. This oversupply could well send the price of iron ore tumbling, reports Ben Power.

The methodology of the Brokers Poll and the supporting MSCI index industry categories, used to decide the regional analyst categories.

The Swiss bank took the top spot in ASIAMONEY’s annual Brokers Poll after an absence of five years. Its equity heads credit their focus on information and a core hub of talent.

Based on extensive industry research, the Global Derivatives 2012 agenda addresses the latest trends, innovations & challenges in quantitative finance.

Taiwanese lenders pushing borrowers to increase the interest rates on their deals have the right idea. But they should get aggressive earlier in the process, using their bargaining power more strongly when it comes to the definition of market disruption clauses — and pricing.

A rush of liability management exercises has highlighted the pressure banks are under to generate core capital quickly. But they should be careful not to lose sight of long term goals too.

Every iteration of the eurozone crisis so far has had one common factor: German intransigence. Peripheral countries shouldn’t approach Merkel as supplicant, but as equal. Instead of begging for bail-outs, the mantra should be “pay up or get out”.

Last week saw a landmark event in covered bonds, with the first two Australian deals coming to market. But the new asset class has arrived stillborn. A rush to issue in spite of weak conditions has ruined the prospects for other deals.

The ECB’s second purchase programme was one week old last Friday, having taken its first faltering steps on November 11. Its progress has been far from heartening.