The $300bn-odd question remains: what are normalised earnings for banks post-meltdown? The most important factor is underlying profitability. But a close second is the extent to which regulators clamp down on the sector. Yesterday, Citigroup's results were supposed to shed light on the former. And that bank shares stabilised after Friday's mauling suggests investors reckon the Securities and Exchange Commission's charges against Goldman Sachs will not spread.
一个涉及3000多亿美元的问题仍有待解答:危机过后,银行的正常盈利水平是多少?最重要的因素是各银行的根本盈利能力。但紧随其后的因素,是监管部门对该行业的整治力度。花旗集团(Citigroup)昨日发布的财报,应该可以证明前一点。另一方面,银行类股在上周五的重创后企稳,表明投资者认为美国证交会(SEC)对高盛(Goldman Sachs)的指控不会蔓延到其它银行。