Following a 60 per cent slump in the stock price last week, the board is considering all options, according to a source familiar with the proceedings, including a change in top executives, the sale of some prized assets or an outright merger. Representatives of the New York Federal Reserve, as well as Treasury officials, are also monitoring developments.
According to one person consulted on the bank's plans, Citi's main move could be to create a “bad bank” along the lines used by UBS last month.
It will need to act fast to calm investors. Not only did Citi's share price plunge from $9.36 to $3.77 last week, but the cost of insuring its debt also spiked, reminiscent of events at Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers.