Overview

Delivered from an Asian perspective, this workshop provides an analysis and discussion of current financial events - specifically in the US, Europe (including the UK) and China (including Hong Kong) - and the ways in which financial performance and changing institutional and legislative arrangements in the major international financial centres could impact upon Asia.

Economic and financial indicators

Recent past, current performance and significant features of major financial and economic indicators in the subject countries:

• general economic trends
• cash (or money) markets
• currency markets
• derivatives markets
• capital markets

The future outlook

Economic drivers of financial performance

Impending major financial markets policy and practice issues:

(i) macro-financial issues:

• monetary policy and interest rate levels in the industrialised countries
• China and Hong Kong: currency stability or instability?
• China: is it now time for full currency convertibility? Should an offshore currency market be introduced?

(ii) micro-financial issues

• the major Western governments’ legislative stance with respect to auditing standards, "transparent" corporate governance and financial disclosure: some implications for Asia

• international experience and the outlook for financial innovation in Asia: increasing use of financial derivatives and the response of financial markets participants and regulators
• Enron case study: the use and abuse of financial derivatives to perpetrate fraud.

Workshop content: the content noted here is indicative only. It is flexible and varied to accommodate breaking economic and financial news and emerging issues of international significance in financial markets.