In Focus

Flat interest margins and low loan growth are expected to take their toll on Singapore’s leading banks.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial has identified 2016 as the year where things could go from bad to worse for Japan.

Malaysia’s banking system capitalisation remained strong with the risk-weighted capital ratio and core capital ratio at 14.9% and 12.9%.

Two of China’s top five banks are to establish branches on Taiwan, becoming the first Mainland lenders to bank on the island.

Soaring loan costs are about to cost Australia’s “Big Four Banks” dearly.

Land Bank of the Philippines said it raised P10.5 billion from the sale of Tier-2 notes.

The ANZ Group is seeking a licence in Thailand as National Australia Bank opens its first branch in India. Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra met ANZ chief Mike Smith on Friday to discuss reducing the two-year waiting period for a licence so that ANZ could set up its wholly-owned subsidiary. ANZ only has a representative office in Thailand. An ANZ spokesman said the bank had been looking to turn its representative office into a full branch so it could better service trade and investment flows between Thailand, Australia and New Zealand and other Asian countries. “It’s not a strategic priority but it’s an important part of having a fully fledged Asian network,” the spokesman said. Meanwhile, NAB is following ANZ and Commonwealth Bank of Australia into India by opening a branch in Mumbai. In an interview with the Rupee Times, Rob Wright, chief of NAB’s Asian unit, said the branch opening followed demand from clients for the bank to do more in India.

South Korean banks are riding the wave of the country’s first-ever trade volume of US$1 trillion.

Three of Japan’s largest banks have begun a campaign to conquer at least 10% of Australia’s lucrative banking industry.

The Philippines’ financial system isn’t as immune to the worsening Eurozone debt crisis as it thinks it is.

Government-controlled Corporation Bank plans to establish 400 overseas branches in just two years.

CIMB Group Holdings Bhd will finally achieve its bridgehead in the Philippine banking industry within the next two months.

The State Bank of Vietnam, the central bank, resolutely denies the country’s banking system has fallen into a severe debt crisis.

RHB Capital Bhd and OSK Holdings Bhd have submitted an application to merge.

Europe continues to be the happy hunting ground for leading Asian banks seeking growth through mergers and acquisitions.

Japan’s burgeoning debt, now equal to about twice the country's annual economic output, focuses sharp attention of the vulnerabilities of Japanese banks.