This timely collection of papers probes into the major issues that are at the heart of our current financial market crises. The coverage of banking topics include the changing nature of intra and inter-bank markets, bank lending behavior, risk and risk-taking, the role of liquidity, return and maturity transformation issues. Issues on international financial market volatility and spillover effects are analyzed in detail, and intense discussions on capital adequacy and regulation in banking, and the potential role of banks' activities in the triggering of financial crises provide forward-looking insights.This volume will offer readers current and innovative approaches to assessing extant issues in banking and financial markets. In particular, it provides new ideas about the role of corporate governance institutions as signaling devices in exercising regulatory authority and protection of the shareholders' rights. What this volume covers in breadth, it also delves in depth with critical analyses and commentaries on the possible role of bank lending in triggering international crises, value creation in international joint ventures and the pricing of risk in international financial markets.