Ours is bigger than Germany's

baby_boomer

Bank bail-out that is. Although having a bigger problem is nothing to boast about .

FT Com

The Germans are only making 500bn Euros available, not £500bn

Let's hope this helps bring a period of calm and some slight confidence across Europe, because it's a lot of money if it doesn't!

FT Com

But is Spain's bigger still :eek: , or differently structured?

"Spain on Monday said it would provide up to €100bn of guarantees for new debt issued by commercial banks in 2008 and an unspecified further amount next year...."

Meanwhile France

The Times

"detailed a plan that includes up to €320 billion to guarantee inter-bank lending up to December next year and €40 billion to inject capital into needy banks."

Meanwhile

"Italy said that it would spend “as much as necessary” to safeguard the country’s banking sector...." [Perhaps they can't give an exact figure until they work out the mafia commission?]

apt

One of the German state-owned banks, the KfW, managed to wire 300 million euros to Lehmann brothers just before they went bust. The KfW's board includes the finance minister who's now looking after the 500bn euros. Some German banks have made some serious mistakes but overall their banking system is in a better position because they haven't had a big property boom and ordinary Germans save more and are more careful where they put their money. Kaupthing raised far less in Germany than Britain even though it was top of the interest-rate tables.