BBVA

International banking giants Banco Santander and Banco Bilbao, have gone on buying sprees abroad even as conditions at home declined sharply. But as their loan losses mount, the markets are finally looking past the banks' blithe optimism, seeing red -- and selling off.

As the FDIC fund dwindles to its lowest point since 1992, foreign banks are stepping up to save the day. Fewer U.S. banks have the reserves to buy failed banks, so the FDIC is looking at changing the rules to allow private investment groups to buy banks. It's also turning to foreign banks,...

With regulators working hard to line up buyers for failed banks, it's of little surprise that foreign financial companies are entering the fray. Indeed, some of the biggest names in international finance have used acquisitions to establish or expand their presence in the United States. Next up may...