Big Banks Out

Germany's banks are under fire. The calls to relax what one insider describes as the banks' 'stranglehold on German industry' are becoming louder and more frequent. The banks, of course, have got used to such pressure over the years, but this time round their critics feel buoyed by international support. Indeed, to a lesser extent, similar scenarios are being played out elsewhere in Europe, particularly in Spain and Italy. Powerful domestic banking networks are facing sharp criticism for being