THE chief executive of a large American bank once approached Paul Volcker, then chairman of the Fed, to ask him how he would respond if the banker were to seek a bail-out.

• 美国一家大银行的首席执行官曾经向时任联邦储备委员会（FED）主席的保罗沃尔克询问，如果银行家寻求保释，他会如何应对。