Search results for

Wealth means different things to different people. And when it comes to achieving and maintaining prosperity, some places do better than others, write Pauline Loong and Andrew Peck.

The new man in the hot seat at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is known as an advocate of consensus, unlike his very outspoken predecessor, Allan Fels. Graeme Samuel, a former lawyer and executive director of Macquarie Bank, favours quick resolutions for consumers over lengthy litigation. Nevertheless, he will be presiding over some key areas in 2004, particularly those involving the amended Trade Practices Act, which is likely to upset big business with its proposed formalisation of the M&A process. And Samuel, who took over as chairman last July, has a tough side. He has been vocal about stiffer criminal penalties for company executives who flout the law – and is throwing a spotlight this year on cartel busting and price fixing. The head of the ACCC spoke to Asiamoney's Sandra Fabbretti in Sydney.

The price of gold has more to do with government whim and the waxing and waning of confidence in currencies – not least the US dollar – than real value. But, as Philip Bowring reports, it is a solid, if unexciting hedge against disaster for cautious investors.

Economists are predicting that the soaring Australian dollar will peak in the second half of the year, reports Pauline Loong.

Private bankers across Asia are hard at work adapting to the changing needs of their wealthy clients in the wake of a vicious bear market, write Simon Parry, Andrew Peck and Long Peiling.

Asia is set for a surge in private banking business but finding experienced staff is certain to be a problem. Long Peiling reports.

By UBS

The fourth edition of the private banking and wealth creation publication. What investors want looks at the way private bankers across Asia are hard at work adapting to the changing needs of their wealthy clients in the wake of a vicious bear market.

U.K. thrift Nationwide has entered an interest rate swap on the back of a USD400 million three-year bond issue and is considering converting the proceeds to sterling.

Norges Bank Investment Management is setting up an absolute return credit team in London.

Rabobank is building up an environmental financial products desk in London that will leverage the firm's presence in the food and agribusiness sectors.

U.S. issuers of structured notes are examining starting an interbank market in structured notes to get around an accounting change that prevents them from taking up-front profit on the instruments.