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Observing before acting has a veneer of sense about it. But we shouldn’t expect to learn anything much from the European Commission's observation period ahead of the introduction of the Liquidity Coverage Ratio. It's pointless.

The faces may have changed but financial blunderers are still running the show in Dublin. The latest folly: selling one third of the best bit of their banking system for €1bn — after spending more than €60bn on the worst.

The voluntary nature of the proposed Greek debt package looks — for the moment — like it will not trigger sovereign CDS. If that remains the case, then it's hard to see what purpose the credit insurance market has.

Sick of Greek dramas? Stressed out over bank tests? We present The Derivatives, a rock cover band of financial professionals, to bring relief to frazzled readers. Their financial takes on popular tunes are sure to bring a smile to your face. Take a gander at their rendition of the AC/DC classic “You Shook Me All Night Long”

The leading state bank recently coughed up for several long-delayed costs, sending its profits plummeting. It had delayed paying these provisions to make its departing chairman look good, but such practices are highly damaging for shareholders. Elliot Wilson reports.

South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Commission has fluffed its latest attempt to sell Woori Bank, falling afoul of political gamesmanship. The banking regulator must drastically re-think its strategy to both privatise Woori and bolster its own credibility.

ASIAMONEY asked strategists from three international banks about whether any danger existed of the Chinese renminbi becoming overvalued rather than undervalued, as it is generally believed to be today. Below are their responses.

Every international investment bank either has, or is trying to get, a securities joint venture in mainland China. Yet the existing JVs have so far offered little material benefit. Are they worth the effort?

Asia’s loans bankers can put their feet up for a couple of months. A surge of deals in the first half of the year has slowed lending, draining liquidity and increasing funding costs. But the loan market will rally. Many borrowers have nowhere else to go.

For followers of European sovereign debt, there has been little to cheer about this summer unless you recently bought easily defended property, an arms cache and a lot of tinned food. But amid the continuing chaos around Greek debt and the rout of peripheral European securities, there may be two small reasons to feel a little more optimistic about the future.

By common consent, the best bit about the EBA stress tests was the level of disclosure they provided. Why has this been so hard to do? Even if Europe pulls back from the brink this week or this month, banks should start planning for a permanently tougher market.

We all know about the healing power of laughter, but it's worth also remembering what music can do. With that in mind, EuroWeek offers the market this variant of a favourite Christmas carol, updated for our times.