We examine whether pre-crisis bank characteristics explain state support to European banks during the global financial crisis. We show that, before the crisis, supported and non-supported banks differ in numerous aspects and the differences reflect bank characteristics at the core of the...

The close economic ties between Europe and the United States and the crucial global monetary and financial role played by the City of London were the conduits for the lightning-fast spread of the crisis triggered by the sub-prime mortgage defaults in the U.S. and the consequent fall in global...