Spring is the season of renewal and rebirth, so it is fitting that both Barclays Bank in the UK and Goldman Sachs in the US have chosen this time to play the hands they hope will end any potential obligation to their governments.
No doubt both are acting for similar reasons: to preserve their autonomy to act – and to pay themselves – in whatever way they see fit while reinvigorating their ability to exploit a competitive advantage over more hamstrung rivals.
