Mario Draghi steps down as head of the ECB at the end of October and the field of candidates to replace him has narrowed. Here are the leading contenders to take over from “Super Mario”

The impact of asset purchases by the European Central Bank is visible in the euro-area economy, according to Governing Council member Erkki Liikanen.

Banks should be dividedinto high-street deposit-taking banks for ordinary customers and separately capitalised institutions that carry out high-risk trading to reduce the possibility of taxpayers paying for reckless behaviour by bankers.

A banking expert from Finland will investigate Finance Minister Brian Lenihan’s handling of the financial meltdown, the Government confirmed today.