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Aksel Joachim Hageler Thomas Sando On March 4 2015, the Norwegian Competition Authority approved Coop's acquisition of rival grocery chain Ica. The decision ended a saga which has occupied the Competition Authority and the relevant market players for years. The decision also marked the second time in less than eight years that a foreign grocery chain has exited the Norwegian market. German Lidl previously aborted its attempt at penetrating the Norwegian market in 2007. While Coop has emerged as the winner among the grocery chains in the struggle for Ica, the decision leaves some of the spoils for both chains Norgesgruppen and Bunnpris. In the merger decision, the Competition Authority compelled Coop to divest 93 of Ica's stores to these two competitors, apparently leaving no room for either foreign buyers or other Norwegian players.

Dina Al Wahabi There are two types of securities that are listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QE), namely, shares and bonds. Only governmental bonds issued by the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) on behalf of the Government of Qatar are listed on the QE. Although the procedures relating to pledging of securities prescribed by the Qatar Central Securities Depository (QCSD) Rules of Dealing do not differentiate between shares and bonds, there are legal and practical differences in pledging bonds under the Qatari Civil Code 22 of 2004. This article will set out a summary of the issues relating to the creation of a pledge over securities and discusses enforcement issues in Qatar. The QE is the securities market in the State of Qatar and is regulated by the Qatar Financial Markets Authority. Last year, the QE was upgraded from frontier to emerging market status by index provider MSCI, signaling investor confidence and improved governance. The QE has 43 listed companies and trades on securities, Government Bonds, Sukuks and Treasury Bills issued by the QCB.

Maria Papatsoris Under Law 6 of February 3 1997, the National Authority of Public Services (ASEP) in Panama is entitled to regulate the energy industry. Its purpose includes securing the availability of an efficient energy policy capable of supplying the country's energy demand, while meeting economic, social, and financial viability criteria. As a consequence of the energy crisis and the state's interest in promoting the use of renewable energy resources, mitigating adverse environmental impacts, and reducing dependence on traditional fossil fuels by means of Law 43 of August 9 2012, Law 6 was modified. It now allows the purchase of power and energy through special public tender processes, approved by ASEP and subject to the energy guidelines issued by the National Energy Secretariat, which have their own rules and are more expeditious.

K&L Gates’ David Bernstein asks whether stockholders can be given the information they need to make informed decisions. And if so, are they able to evaluate what they receive?

The potential benefits to flow from a growth-linked bond market have been debated for some time. Slaney Advisors' Starla Griffin explains why Greece’s continuing debt saga offers some lessons on how it could develop

What will be the biggest hurdle to implementing the new loss-absorbency requirement? Vote now

Asia’s debt markets are deepening, and banks are hoping to capitalise on that growth. Panellists at a recent ICMA event warned against competing for deals based on regulatory laxity

Gabriela Diezhandino and Vincent Ingham of the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA) examine the outlook for European regulation, and resulting implications for the Asset Management industry

André Valente of UBS Fund Services looks at how the Swiss fund management industry is gaining momentum in the face of a series of tough regulatory changes

Grégoire Winckler and Jason Zücker of KPMG outline recent tax developments within the Swiss fund industry, including a proposed Swiss corporate tax reform