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The formation of local asset management companies and a resolution trust company are two ideas put forward by Taiwan's bureau of monetary affairs to help deal with the country's mounting bad loans. Dominic Jones talks to two key executives in the bureau, Shiau Chang-Ruey, deputy director of community financing, and Philip Ong, director of foreign banks and international affairs, about what more needs to be done.

Anand Panyarachun earned his reputation as one of Thailand's most incorruptible prime ministers. Now he is using his formidable political and business clout to push for a more democratic and equitable society. By Ben Davies.

Technology may be the great enabler for the centralization of cash management operations, but the rapid pace of change in the e-environment means that few banks are willing or able to jump in feet first. And a joining of forces still seems out of the question. Joy Lee reports.

Asiamoney always likes to see the development of new asset classes but this one had us stumped: an Australian securitization backed by loans that fund eucalyptus trees. Mark B Johnson reports on this latest, rather eye-catching expansion of the market.

Technology may be the great enabler for the centralization of cash management operations, but the rapid pace of change in the e-environment means that few banks are willing or able to jump in feet first. And a joining of forces still seems out of the question. Joy Lee reports.

Ian Macfarlane is not given to alarmist statements, and despite concerns about the US economy he continues to forecast healthy growth. The governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia explains policy to Chris Wright.

Japan's new minister for financial services has made an unusual call to the world's media to hold off from pushing the country's financial system to the brink. His belief is that the situation is so finely balanced that undue panic could do just that. But with Mori poised for a quick exit, time is against him. Does the one-time reformer still have what it takes to put Japan Inc's affairs in order before the dominoes fall? By Fiona Haddock.

It was the largest IPO in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE)'s history; the biggest slap in the face for Renong chairman Halim Saad; the most embarrassing episode for Commerce International Merchant Bankers (CIMB). The superlatives abound in the case of the IPO of TimedotCom, Time Engineering's telecoms arm, which in February issued 175 million shares at RM3.30 (US$0.86) each, and offered for sale 397 million shares owned by the parent. Designed to raise RM1.89 billion (US$497.4 million), the IPO was only 25% subscribed. Renong-controlled CIMB was the advisor, managing underwriter and joint lead underwriter. Not a happy moment for CEO Nazir Razak? Well, though CIMB's shares did fall, the paper is thought widely dispersed among the other underwriters, including all major local names. "The outcome was widely expected," says a local analyst. "The talk is that most of this paper has already been taken up by government-linked institutions. All this will emerge over the next few weeks."

Australia's economic outlook is heavily dependent on the state of the US economy. That's a tough problem for a country that has already faced a year of distortions to its economic data. By Chris Wright.

The Singapore Ritz-Carlton Millenia, the Banyan Tree resort in Phuket and Singapore Airlines are among the winners in our ninth annual business travel poll. But our respondents are a discerning and demanding bunch – and Asia's favourite hotels and airlines will have to work hard to stay at the top of the list. By Olivia Chow and Robert Law.

For those with the nerve, Hong Kong has provided superior returns on equity investment over the past years. But China plays, with their increased weighting in the index, are re-writing the equation. By Pauline Loong, Joy Lee and Robert Law.

For those with the nerve, Hong Kong has provided superior returns on equity investment over the past years. But China plays, with their increased weighting in the index, are re-writing the equation. By Pauline Loong, Joy Lee and Robert Law.