Against expectations, European banks are thriving
Many are now ripe for a takeover
In 2020, when BBVA and Sabadell abandoned merger discussions, it was difficult to find investors with anything positive to say about European banks. A decade of near-zero interest rates, stiff regulation and anaemic economic growth had made them unprofitable and unattractive. The two Spanish lenders were no exception. BBVA had a market value of €26bn ($32bn), less than 40% of its 2007 peak. At €2bn, Sabadell was worth only a fifth of the accounting (“book”) value of its equity.
This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Bona fide”
Finance & economics May 11th 2024
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- Against expectations, European banks are thriving
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- What Xi Jinping gets wrong about China’s economy
- Could America and its allies club together to weaken the dollar?
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