How to break up the banks: the definitive answer

February 4, 2010 2:23 pm by Kiran Stacey

The New York Times has published 18 ways to break up the banks with minimal fuss, and I can’t find a single flaw in their reasoning. My personal favourites are “Have the bank marry Larry King or Elizabeth Taylor” and “Have the bank’s chairman saunter into the living room at 11:02 p.m. and start idly vacuuming”.

James Mackintosh, meanwhile, has pointed out that suggestion number six – “Sprinkle the banks with gaily colored, diversionary “accent pieces” like ottomans and love seats” – was tried by London hedge fund Peloton. And to great success too – the fund broke up following heavy losses in 2008.

(Hat tip to Courtney Weaver for the spot.)

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Posted in Banking, Comment, Financial Crisis, Regulation, US |
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