Many years ago when as a young man I worked for a bank and I was studying for an ONC in Business Studies, I needed to do a project for the course. What better subject than how a bank calculates its level of bank charges? (OK, rather sad.) This was quickly scotched by a senior manager who took me to one side and advised me that they just charge what they think they can get away with.The conundrum presented, although different, has similarities. Post credit crunch, access to funds from the capital markets has all but dried up (hence why they have gone cap in hand to the good old Bank of England), and there are constant pressures from regulators (stable door, horse bolted) and the EU (Basel III) to improve the capital position.
展开▼
