In this inaugural edition of our banking sector coverage, we perused the current environment and put them in perspective. We looked at current conditions in each major financial center within Asia Pacific and assessed the impact of lingering weaknesses in the global economy and other long-term threats as well as the opportunities that loom on the horizon. While an economic slowdown in 2012 is inevitable, we believe that banks in the region are poised to withstand a challenging economic environment and still achieve growth.