Aberdeen Asset Management: letting the dust settle

Aberdeen Asset Management is attempting to rebuild shareholder confidence in itself by selling six retail investment contracts, representing GBP1.85 billion of assets under management, to New Star. The sales are intended to reassure investors unnerved by Aberdeen's leading role in the split capital trust scandal. However, given time, Aberdeen is expected to re-enter this market.

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ABN Amro/EDS: outsourcing bandwagon starts rolling

ABN Amro looks set to outsource all IT services for its Wholesale Clients unit to EDS. The deal, worth at least $1.46 billion, will be one of the largest ever IT outsourcing deals in the banking industry. It could represent the turning of the tide for service providers - particularly as there are other, even larger FS outsourcing deals in the pipeline.

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ABN Amro: how fast will it grow?

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Allfunds Bank: UK offering may struggle to replicate Spanish success

Allfunds Bank, a joint venture between Sanpaolo IMI and Abbey's parent Grupo Santander, will launch its third-party distribution platform in the UK. The venture accounts for about half of the third-party fund distribution market in Spain, but the company is unlikely to enjoy the same strong performance in the UK.

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Allianz: don't discount Dresdner - yet

Although the industry continues to mock Allianz's purchase of Dresdner Bank, the German insurer begs to differ. Yes, the investment and corporate banking business is struggling - but the real value in the takeover lies in increased distribution for Allianz's insurance products, and the opportunity to grow retail market share as investors seek security.

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Banking sector reform in Spain hangs in the balance as global hedge funds remain cautious

Recently, large hedge funds including Paulson & Co. have shown interest in the struggling Spanish savings banks. However, Moody's has lowered its credit and deposit rating for 30 Spanish banks and downgraded the country's credit rating from Aa1 to Aa2 status. As the savings banks scramble to secure foreign investment, increased pressure is being put on already heavily burdened government funds.

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Banks are wary of environmental risks, but a switch to green lending is not inevitable

Some of the world's biggest banks will make it increasingly difficult for companies involved in controversial industries to get funding for future projects. Growing environmental scrutiny is making it harder for lenders to finance polluting industries without suffering a blow to their reputation, but a continued focus on profit means improved lending for green ventures is far from guaranteed.

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Barclays Capital: a chance to make money from thin air?

Barclays Capital has announced that it is to launch an investment product designed to expose investors to carbon market risk. The product concerned is a tracker that follows worldwide CO2 price movements. Although carbon markets are still in their infancy and volatile, this could prove an opportunity to effectively make money from thin air.

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Barclays: a beacon of hope?

Barclays has issued an open letter announcing strong profits despite large write-downs to show investors that it remains financially secure. The move allays fears that the bank is in need of government assistance, and may be a sign that the decision to turn to Middle East backers is paying off.

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Credit Suisse: boardroom shuffling isn't enough

Lukas Muehlemann's departure from his twin roles at Credit Suisse was no surprise, given the company's plummeting share price and US probes into the allocation of hot stock offerings. But new management alone will not solve the bank's problems. The new joint CEOs - inside players John Mack and Oswald Gruebel - now need a new strategy.

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