Crunch time for Credit Suisse talks as UBS seeks Swiss assurances

Geneva: Talks over rescuing Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) rolled into Sunday as UBS AG (UBSG.S) sought $6 billion from the Swiss government to cover costs if it were to buy its struggling rival, a person with knowledge of the talks said.

Authorities are scrambling to resolve a crisis of confidence in the 167-year-old Credit Suisse, the most globally significant bank caught in the turmoil spurred by the collapse of US lenders Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank over the past week.

While regulators want a resolution before markets reopen on Monday, one source cautioned the talks are encountering significant obstacles, and 10,000 jobs may have to be cut if the two banks combine, Reuters reported.

The guarantees UBS is seeking would cover the cost of winding down parts of Credit Suisse and potential litigation charges, two people told Reuters.
Credit Suisse, UBS and the Swiss government declined to comment.

The frenzied weekend negotiations follow a brutal week for banking stocks and efforts in Europe and the US to shore up the sector. US President Joe Biden's administration moved to backstop consumer deposits while the Swiss central bank lent billions to Credit Suisse to stabilise its shaky balance sheet.

UBS was under pressure from the Swiss authorities to take over its local rival to get the crisis under control, two people with knowledge of the matter said. The plan could see Credit Suisse's Swiss business spun off.

Switzerland is preparing to use emergency measures to fast-track the deal, the Financial Times reported, citing two people familiar with the situation.

US authorities are involved, working with their Swiss counterparts to help broker a deal, Bloomberg News reported, also citing those familiar with the matter.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc's (BRKa.N) Warren Buffett has held discussions with senior Biden administration officials about the banking crisis, a source told Reuters.
The White House and US Treasury declined to comment.

British Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt and Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey are also in regular contact this weekend over the fate of Credit Suisse, a source familiar with the matter said. Spokespeople for the British Treasury and the Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority, which oversees lenders, declined to comment.