Over the last few years, Madrid has managed to climb a few positions to become a more important international centre of finance, but in order to consolidate itself in a top position it needs to carry out a series of improvements.

The alignment of markets and companies is an inevitable result of globalization, but a highly motivated team can gain competitive advantages by breaking the mould.

No actually. For years, Trichet could have put the brakes on the real estate bubble by raising interest rates. But Germany and France had other priorities. So what do we do now?

Lope Vega en Fuenteovejuna was the first to point out the benefits of “all for one”. In much the same way, centralizing the accounts of a company and its different branches using a cash polling system can bring enormous advantages.

They are about liquidity and a desire to invest millions in leading international banks in order to leverage the subprime crisis. They are sovereign wealth funds, the new focus of debate in the western world.