The European banking crisis is still brewing. The biggest problem rises from the rules that if a bank is in trouble, they just seize the bank and sell it for €1 and all the shareholders lose everything. This is having serious impact upon the European Banking System as a whole as I previously warned. The Italian bank Carige has had difficulty in trying to raise capital to meet requirements. If any bank cannot raise enough capital to meet the requirements, the European supervisory authorities can seize the bank in accordance with the new rules.
Once again, the government solution is to make up rules that totally disregard the private reality. Why would anyone buy bank stocks in Europe today if the government can seize everything and shareholders get zero? Spain’s Banco Santander bought rival Banco Popular for €1. This is Brussels’s new system to rescue failing banks without burdening taxpayers or stressing markets. This was cheered around the world because the shareholders lost absolutely everything. The bank which was valued in the collapse at €1.6 billion was bought for €1.
Hello! Why would anyone buy European bank stocks? I cannot recommend buying any in Europe. It’s just too risky. An Industrial corporation goes into bankruptcy and its assets are sold. The shareholders get something back. Banks are becoming more like government bonds. The normal rules just do not apply.
