July 28, 2012

Dutch Central Bank DNB investigates Rabobank

DNB onderzoekt Rabobank (NOS, Dutch)

engl. translation:

The DNB, (Dutch central bank) investigates with support of of the financial markets authority (AFM) the role of the Rabobank in the Libor scandal. Sources confirmed that to the NOS. The investigation is running since last year.

DNB confirms that there is an investigation running about the creation of the Libor interest rate, but can't tell anything about the role of Rabobank. The Euribor interest rate is also under investigation. That's the European counterpart of the Libor rate of London. Besides that foreign oversights look into the role that Rabobank played in the Libor scandal.

The bank confirms that multiple oversights are looking into the case. A spokesperson says that the bank is fully cooperative.

Fixing
The Rabobank belongs to a panel of banks that daily determines the Libor rate. That rate is known to be the base for uncounted credits and loans. Recently a scandal came to light when the British bank Barclays confessed to have rigged the rate. The bank settled the case with the British & American authorities with an amount equivalent of 370 million Euros. In other countries there are investigations, too.

This week the German minister of consumer protection called upon Deutsche Bank to come clean. "It cannot be that consumers have to pay the bills of traders who are manipulating interest rates without scruples."

No comment
According to the [newspaper] Financieel Dagblad the Rabobank has discharged four employees in 2008 and 2011 who have been possibly involved in the scandal. The Rabobank didn't want to comment on the case.

The employees have allegedly communicated too high or just too low interest rates, because their colleagues on the trading floor had advantages from a Libor rate that was a bit higher or lower than everyone expected. With that approach they could achieve substantial profits.


cat=banking
chapter=none
last update=July 28th 2012

Opinions of world financial & political leaders on eurozone

Just a collection of links:

Jul 31st 2012   Obama says eurozone will survive, but decisions urgent
Carlos Slim:EU has wrong approach to crisis (NOS)(dutch)
Paul Volcker: Germany must assume more responsibility for Europe (Cicero.de)(German)
Buffett says euro zone not working
David Cameron: the eurozone must make up or break up
David Cameron defends 'make up or break up' euro warning
Feb   2nd 2012 US Fed's Ben Bernanke warns on eurozone stress
June   8th 2012 Eurozone debt crisis puts US at risk, warns Bernanke
May 14th 2012 El-Erian: The Eurozone Is Facing A Lose-Lose Situation
Jun  29th 2012 Euro Zone Plan Good, but Not Good Enough: El-Erian


cat=eurozone
chapter=to be assigned
last update=July 28th 2012 17.45 CET

Italian structural flaws

Just a collection of links regarding structural flaws in economy & state

How can Sicily cut the bloated budget that is dragging it down?
Fears over Sicily's future as euro flow stops and bankruptcy looms
The six things wrong with Italy – and how to solve them (The Guardian, Feb 20t 2013)




cat=Italy, structural reform
chapter=to be assigned
last update=Feb 20th 2013

Greek structural flaws

just a collection of links to obvious flaws in economy & state structure:
Record rates of tax evasion on islands
Special Report: Clandestine loans were used to fortify Greek bank






cat=Greece, structural reforms
chapter=to be assigned 
last update=July 28th 2012

June 09, 2012

Examples for flawed elements in capitalism

Examples for flawed elements in capitalism
Oct 31st 2011

Wer mehr bezahlt, bekommt bessere Rating-Noten





US "cases":
Apr 23rd 2010

Uncommon Sense: Still Government Motors
Apr 28th 2010

Goldman Sachs' Lloyd Blankfein under fire at hearing
Apr 28th 2010

Factbox: Levin, Blankfein trade jabs at hearing





Federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (Wiki)





Madoff investment scandal (Wiki)
Mar 31st 2008

The last days of Bear Stearns





Bankcruptcy of Lehman Brothers (Wiki)
Sep 18th 2008

US: Bush defends Fed's decision to bail out AIG





Troubled Asset Relief Program (Wiki)
Nov 28th 2011

Secret Fed Loans Gave Banks Undisclosed $13B
Nov 29th 2011

You Won't Believe What Hank Paulson Revealed To Hedge Funders Right Before The Height Of The Financial Crisis
Dec 16th 2011

Bank Failures Cost U.S. $88 Billion 
Dec 27th 2011

SEC Ups Its Game to Identify Rogue Firms
Oct 31st 2012

It's Time to End the Tarp Profitability Myth





german "cases":





Phillip Holzmann (Wiki) (eng)



#
Philipp Holzmann (Wiki)
Aug 21st 2008

Lone Star Funds to take over IKB
Nov 15th 2010 #
Die Optionen der Commerzbank: Staatshilfe zum Nulltarif
Jan 5th 2011

Deutsche Bank: The first German Wall Street bank
Jun 12th 2007

'We Suffer the Consequences': Loan Crisis Hits German Taxpayers
Nov 4th 2009

General Motors cancels Opel sale
Feb 24th 2009

13 Billion Euro Bailout: Germany's HSH Nordbank Saved from Collapse
Jul 15th 2011

HSH Nordbank Passes Stress Test; Criticizes Regulator’s Rules
Oct 23rd 2011 #
Sorgenkinder HRE und WestLB: SoFFin macht riesigen Verlust











Dutch/Belgian cases:
Nov 21st 2008

ABN, Fortis to merge as planned before 2011 sale





ABN Amro and Fortis set for €4,4 bn bail-out (FT.com)





Fortis ABN Amro takeover (Wiki)





general problems
Dec 16th 2011

Edmund Phelps:'Alliance between banks and governments at the heart of eurozone crisis'





Comecon A historic reminder !

















# = German language
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June 08, 2012

Eurozone inflation chart 2000 -2012 by Vincent Flasseur/Reuters

                               source:http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/11/04/ECB.html

                   (this background section is just used for additional info linked within main articles of EZR!)
More eurozone (&EU!) charts in chart-section: http://ezrcharts.blogspot.com (mainly Reuters)

June 05, 2012

Some recommended external links