Bankwest Set To Fire First Salvo Against Big Four

BankWest, the wholly owned subsidiary of British banking giant HBOS, plans to take on the big four local banks with an internet and phone service.

Bankwest Chases Eastern Savers

A year after its full takeover by Scottish banking group HBOS, Perth's BankWest is about to launch an assault on the dominant share of the east coast retail banking market held by Australia's big four banks.

Banks Roll Out New Branches

Australian banks are emulating their US counterparts in rediscovering branch networks, but could be ignoring some lessons about service and location, according to banking experts.

The Worm That Turned

Sven Jaschan, the creator of the world's most potent computer viruses, faces trial for crippling hospitals, closing banks and grounding planes. And the teenager did it all from his own bedroom, writes Malcolm Macalister Hall.

Greater Risk, Lesser Reward Becomes The New Reality For Underwriters

Something remarkable occurred this week. An investment bank underwrote a $1 billion risk without any guarantee it would be paid for taking it. Given the reputation of investment banks, and US investment banks in particular, Citigroup's decision to underwrite the $1.1 billion sell-down of British Airways' 18.25 per cent shareholding in Qantas without asking for an explicit underwriting fee is something of a watershed.