Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show some of the innovative ways loans are being disbursed to help microfinance institutions (MFIs) diversify their portfolios and reach a young and viable market. The paper attempt to highlight how MEDA/PTE's project in Egypt can contribute to the...

Purpose – To describe the 5th May 2006 ECOFIN conclusions on supervisory convergence and explain why they represent a new departure for European financial services work. Design/methodology/approach – The article outlines the 6th 2006 ECOFIN conclusions relating to supervisory convergence. It...

Following on from the ground‐breaking article in Balance Sheet, Volume 8 Issue 4 by Charles Garthwaite, the author describes how XBRL, the language of risk, has developed recently. XBRL is the business reporting language which is revolutionising the way that information is both gathered and...

Corporate governance in the financial services sector is influenced by factors peculiar to the industry. The author assesses the influence of analysts and points out that reporting timetables across the industry mean that peer pressure becomes an unusually influential factor. He assesses how...

Argues that branch security systems have to be designed to balance a number of often conflicting requirements since a totally secure branch could be created, but it would be impossible to operate as a retail unit. There are, nevertheless, significant technical developments in the security...

Purpose – This article discusses the perils of electronic communication, the regulators' response to its proliferation, the findings of a recent survey by Orchestria, and the traditional solutions most companies are adopting. Design/methodology/approach – Discusses results of a survey that...

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to describe the process for forming and registering a new investment company (or mutual fund) or converting an existing hedge fund into a mutual fund and registering the converted fund. This article discusses the timing, tax and regulatory implications...

Purpose – This paper seeks to discuss the Guidance Note on disclosure of hedge fund side letters issued by the UK's Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) in September 2006. Design/methodology/approach – Explains the meaning of “material” and “non‐material” and...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to: emphasize the importance of sound policies and procedures to support a sound compliance program; define the relationships among rules, policies, and procedures; and recommend a detailed, step‐by‐step approach for implementing a strong rules,...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the FSA's recent, allegedly soft approach toward insider trading and compare it with current approaches in the USA, France, and Germany Design/methodology/approach – Discusses reasons for the FSA's current approach, including its emphasis on...