The FINANCIAL -- Raiffeisen Bank Aval received three awards at once at the awarding ceremony by results of the contest “Best Corporate Media of Ukraine 2009”, held on 6 November in Kyiv.

The FINANCIAL -- The EBRD is providing a diversified financing package totalling $81 million for Bank Vozrozhdenie aimed at helping one of Russia’s leading privately-owned banks increase lending to the real sector of the economy at a time when credit markets are still very constrained.

The FINANCIAL -- Mizuho Bank, Ltd. (President & CEO: Satoru Nishibori) and Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd. (President & CEO: Yasuhiro Sato), hereafter collectively referred to as “Mizuho”, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb) on November 9, 2009 concerning support for Japanese companies that are establishing business operations in the state of Gujarat. This is the first MOU that the iNDEXTb has signed with a Japanese financial institution.

The FINANCIAL -- Visa Inc. (NYSE: V), a Worldwide Olympic Games Sponsor for more than two decades, on November 9 announced the global launch of its Olympic-themed marketing campaign for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Go World.

The FINANCIAL -- On 9 November 2009, Fortis Insurance International NV, KASIKORNBANK and other shareholders of Muang Thai Group Holding (“Muang Thai”) signed agreements for KASIKORNBANK to increase its shareholding in Muang Thai from 10% to 51%.