Bonnie Kavoussi

The bank bailouts of 2008 created a firestorm of public anger in the United States. Now European leaders are trying to avoid the same fate. It's not looking good.

Alan Katz and Gregory Viscusi

After business lending slumped with the bankruptcy of New York-based Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in September 2008, U.S. and U.K. officials exhorted banks to keep extending loans, particularly to small companies, to bolster their economies.

A.P. | LONDON

COMPETITION is generally a good thing, but is it beneficial in finance? If banks expect a lower stream of profits in the future because of rising competition, then their incentives to take risks grow.