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It is highly unusual for internet companies to turn a profit, a fact which is only now beginning to drive down the prices of listed web businesses. It is for this reason that most mergers involving web companies are usually funded with virtual money - stock swaps.

Japan’s lawyers have never had it so good. The market for their services is booming as overseas investors pump money into the country and Japanese companies look to the international markets for funds. But there aren’t enough lawyers to do the job. And foreign practitioners say they can’t offer the service their clients want. Things need to change. Ralph Cunningham reports from Tokyo

Internet IPOs, privatizations, and the delights of the hostile takeover made 1999 a year to remember for Italian law firms. But managing partners are facing some difficult decisions, and a wrong move could lead to their firms being shut out of booming markets. Rufus Jones reports from Rome and Milan

India’s Information Technology Bill is its first attempt to regulate e-commerce. Aparna Viswanathan of Viswanathan & Co, Advocates, asks whether the Bill eases the transition from a paper-based system to electronic commerce

Philip McBride Johnson of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom looks at themove of the US futures markets towards electronic trading and argues that the implications for self-regulation are wider than have been recognized so far

Joe Bannister of Lovells Hong Kong highlights some interesting parallels in the insolvency reforms intended for Hong Kong and the UK

Japan’s lawyers have never had it so good. The market for their services is booming as overseas investors pump money into the country and Japanese companies look to the international markets for funds. But there aren’t enough lawyers to do the job. And foreign practitioners say they can’t offer the service their clients want. Things need to change. Ralph Cunningham reports from Tokyo

As companies receive the new Purple Book from the FSA, Andrew Rosling of Theodore Goddard, London looks at the new regime for securities listing in the UK and assesses its likely implications

What’s wrong with Mesdaq? Adeline Wong of Wong & Partners, Kuala Lumpur

South Africa introduces capital gains tax Just when several countries are considering dismantling or reducing the impact of their capital gains tax legislation, South Africa's minister of finance has given notice in his annual budget speech of the intention to introduce the tax in South Africa. Capital gains tax will take effect from April 1 2001, and it is understood that the amending legislation will be available early in 2001. In the interim, the tax authorities have issued a guide relating to the tax and its application.