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Manfred Knof's appointment to succeed Martin Zielke as Commerzbank chief executive has been welcomed by market participants, ahead of an expected strategy update at the German bank.

The European Central Bank's decision to embrace sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) as collateral and for its asset purchase programme is a sign of what is to come.

The delayed launch of the European Commission’s vast funding programme has thrown bond bankers into a fever of anticipation. The immense prestige of a programme of such international importance, as well as the sizeable fees to be won, means they are under huge pressure to develop strong relationships with the EC and win mandates. Some are beginning to vent frustration.

JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley’s positions at the top of the UK corporate broking rankings have undoubtedly helped their equity capital markets businesses, but Goldman Sachs stands out for its disruptive approach, writes David Rothnie.

Banks may be using their lending relationships with companies to press them into granting bond mandates, the International Organisation of Securities Commissions has warned. This follows the UK Financial Conduct Authority's remarks about similar pressure for equity mandates in April.

Gabriel Grego, managing partner and chief investment officer at Quintessential Capital, is known among investors for his devastating critiques of fraudulent companies. A former paratrooper in the Israeli Defence Force, Grego is on what he sees as a moral crusade to sniff out corporate corruption. He is adamant, he tells GlobalCapital, that activist short selling is a force for good in financial markets — and society as a whole.

The European Central Bank is reportedly considering imbuing its regular Asset Purchase Programme with the powers reserved for its special Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme. From the central bank's perspective it’s a tempting move, but it could tip the eurozone into full blown yield curve control and would certainly draw the ire and no doubt legal challenges from some in Germany.

Goldman Sachs has given new titles to leaders in its credit finance, investment grade capital markets and equity capital markets businesses.

London's investment bankers are getting to grips once more with the UK government's guidance on coronavirus, after it said on Tuesday that office workers should work from home, if possible. Banks had slowly been inviting more staff back into London offices in recent months while the government had also been urging people to get back to the office.

The European Central Bank (ECB) would gain more autonomy under new proposals on how to improve bank capital rules.

The European Commission on Tuesday gave the derivatives clearing industry a lifeline by granting an 18 month equivalence decision that will allow European firms to keep using UK central counterparties.

The European Central Bank (ECB) could be considering merging the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP) and its longstanding Asset Purchase Programme (APP). If it does, this would amount to the bank discarding its self-imposed limits on quantitative easing.