Eurozone politicians are engaged in a delicate balancing act. Once again, they are attempting to avert a growing crisis of confidence in the financial markets and the broader economic implications of the current turmoil.

Christine Lagarde, France’s economy minister, on Wednesday acknowledged that the world would be facing a “transformation” of its financial markets. But she also added that the French banking system need not fear “very negative” effects from the collapse of Lehman Brothers.