This collection of conference papers presents a contemporary insight into key trends impacting on the global financial sector post crisis and highlights new policy and research areas affecting banks and other financial institutions. The four main themes are: financial crises, credit activity, capital markets and risk management.

List of Tables and Figures Introduction; F.Fiordelisi, P.Molyneux & D.Previati PART I: FINANCIAL CRISES China's Macro-Policy and Regulatory Framework of the Financial Sector to be Tested by the Global Economic Downturn; R.W.H.Van Der Linden Financial Turmoil and Asymmetric Information Theory - Evidence from E-MID Platform; C.Porzio, F.Battaglia, A.Meles & M.Grazia Starita The Impact of European Financial Integration on Economic Growth; J.Maudos & J.Fernández De Guevara Can Financial Supervision Enhance Central Bank's Independence?; E.Seghezza & G.B.Pittaluga The Impact of a Housing Price Bubble on the Intensity of the Recent Credit Crunch: Evidence from Different Countries; J.M.Pastor, J.Quesada & L.Serrano Interbank Market and Liquidity Distribution during the Great Financial Crisis: The E-MID Case; G.A.Vento & P.La Ganga Quantitative Easing Versus Credit Easing; F.H.Brinkhuis Financial Reforms, Competition and Risk in Banking Markets; B.Casu, A.Ferrari & Tianshu Zhao PART II: THE LENDING BUSINESS: MARKETS AND INSTRUMENTS The Diffusion of Credit Brokers in Italy - A Spatial Econometric Analysis; F.Poli & E.T.Uberti Determinants and Effects of Venture Capital and Private Equity Investments on Italian SMEs; R.Giovannini, V.Pesic & V.Capizzi Transparency of Price Conditions in the Consumer Credit; M.Caratelli PART III: CAPITAL MARKETS AND RISK MANAGEMENT Profitability of Momentum and Reversal Patterns of Pan-European Industries Portfolio; G.Torluccio & M.Toscano Duration Analysis - An Exposé; T.Lindblom & G.Bergendahl Biased or Unbiased Risk Perception in the Financial Decision Making; C.Lucarelli & G.Brighetti Banks' Measurement of Operational Risk and the Effect on Regulatory Capital; T.Lindblom& M.Willesson Index

GPSR Compliance The European Union's (EU) General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is a set of rules that requires consumer products to be safe and our obligations to ensure this. If you have any concerns about our products you can contact us on ProductSafety@springernature.com. In case Publisher is established outside the EU, the EU authorized representative is: Springer Nature Customer Service Center GmbH Europaplatz 3 69115 Heidelberg, Germany ProductSafety@springernature.com