Unrealised gains from their equity portfolios are fast disappearing as the stockmarket slides.

ECONOMIST: Asian banks

Japan, for instance, managed to let its banks count some of their unrealised gains on their huge equity portfolios towards their capital.

ECONOMIST: Banking regulation

This matters because banks have counted unrealised gains on equities towards the capital which, under international standards, they must set aside against lending.

ECONOMIST: Time to grow up