The global banking system has frozen up. There is no trust between banks and there is no trust by depositors of banks. This has caused a run on the banks, and has led to the failure of Washington Mutual and Wachovia. Internationally, several large banks have failed.
Bloomberg is reporting
Libor Rises Most on Record After U.S. Congress Rejects Bailout.
The cost of borrowing in dollars overnight rose the most on record after the U.S. Congress rejected a $700 billion bank-rescue plan, putting an unprecedented squeeze on the global financial system.
The London interbank offered rate, or Libor, that banks charge each other for such loans climbed 431 basis points to an all-time high of 6.88 percent today, the British Bankers' Association said. The euro interbank offered rate, or Euribor, for one-month loans jumped to a record 5.05 percent, the European Banking Federation said. The Libor-OIS spread, a gauge of the scarcity of cash, also increased to an all-time high.
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