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Article: Wall Street's pawnbrokers; Year-end funding.(The demise of the investment banks complicates year-end funding)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- December 6, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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For bankers, it is just as well Christmas comes but once a year
MONEYMEN may be hoping for some rest as an atrocious 2008 draws to a close, but for bank treasurers the "turn" is the most fretful time of year. They are often holed up in the office, frantically trying to balance the books as their colleagues head off to New Year's Eve parties. This year is likely to be especially nerve-racking.
Liquidity always tightens in late December, when markets are closed and banks tidy up their balance-sheets. This year they will be more determined than ever to be well-groomed when the year-end accounting snapshot is taken.
The reluctance to part with cash ...