In The News

The EU as Last-Ditch Escape Artist

Jonathan Fenby April 1, 2013
Europe plays a dangerous game by tackling debt crises country by country. The latest economy to implode is a small nation that gained a reputation as an offshore banking center: Cypriot banks invested in Greek bonds and, after Greece imploded, required rescue – which comes at a cost. With deposits in Cypriot banks insured up to €100,000, holders of larger deposits may lose half their savings....

Euro Crisis Poses Grave Dangers to EU Unity

Spiegel Staff March 26, 2013
During a banking crisis, political leaders try to maintain calm to prevent panic and a run on vulnerable banks that can’t possibly return deposits to customers all at once. But a bailout for EU member Cyprus could fracture the calm by even suggesting new precedents, especially early proposals to tap into all bank depositors’ savings accounts and ignore guaranteed protections on holdings up to €...

World Markets Roiled as Cyprus Bailout Deal Stalls

Eric Reguly March 18, 2013
Cyprus, with a population just over 1 million, is posing big challenges to global financial markets. The government failed to pass a €10-billion package that would have taxed bank deposits to pay for the rescue – 6.75 percent for deposits less than €100,000, 9.9 percent for those with more. “None of the euro zone’s sovereign and bank bailouts, from Ireland to Greece, has insisted that bank...

Lenders Losing Battle of “Basel”

Victoria McGrane, Dan Fitzpatrick December 22, 2011
The US Federal Reserve may have little choice but to follow Europe’s lead and require US banks to add more capitalization. US banks had argued that guidelines need not be so strict, report Victoria McGrane and Dan Fitzpatrick for the Wall Street Journal. Banks described as “too big to fail,” ones that pose risk to the global financial system, are the target. “Basel regulators last month...

Europe Short on Cash as Bond Fears Deepen

Stefan Kaiser November 23, 2011
Unlike politicians, global investors are strict taskmasters. Banks are warning that European governments can no longer take the capital markets for granted in financing public projects, writes Stefan Kaiser for Spiegel Online. His article describes Germany as a safe haven, but shortly after the article was posted, a German auction sold only 65 percent of €6 billion in 10-year bonds. Investors are...

US Banks Sell More Insurance on Europe Debt

Yalman Onaran November 3, 2011
Sales of insurance that guarantee against European debt losses are booming. A Bloomberg article questions the protection of an endless chain of hedging: “The banks say their net positions are smaller because they purchase swaps to offset ones they’re selling to other companies,” the article quotes Frederick Cannon, director of research at New York-based investment bank Keefe, Bruyette & Woods...

London Is Under Constant Attack From Europe

James Kirkup October 28, 2011
Nations will watch closely to see if Britain can distance itself from the pain of the Greek debt crisis. Great Britain is one of 27 members of the European Union, but not part of the 17-member eurozone. The British capital of London is also a global center of financial firms, which greased the way for massive debts in Greece, Italy, Spain and elsewhere. David Cameron, the British prime minister...