Top faller in the Banking sector today with a 25% fall are they about to go bust as the housing market stalls .. are they another Northern Rock failure about to blow.

Could be at that today

B&B has been hit by rocketing numbers of customers defaulting on their mortgages or falling behind on interest payments. It specialises in lending to buy-to-let landlords and to higher-risk "self-certified" borrowers, people who have not had to provide proof on income to qualify for loans.

Richard Pym, the new chief executive parachuted in last month to try to save the bank, said, "The changes we have announced today focus the business as a strong savings bank, reduce the size of our lending activities and increase our capacity in arrears collection."

B&B shares slumped 8 per cent to 23p, far below the 55p a share price at which the bank raised emergency capital in the summer. B&B said it remained strongly capitalised.

The bank also warned staff that it planned to cut the size of the head office workforce in Yorkshire at a later date. The Borehamwood processing centre will close in the first quarter of 2009.

The Financial Services Authority has become increasingly concerned about B&B and its heavy dependence on the paralysed wholesale markets for much of its funding.

Down 13% now something is going to happen soon

Good job the short sellers are locked out otherwise I feel sure they would have pounded BB and it would have been the end.

370 jobs to go

For starters

I've heard the CEO is working the till, then stays behind and cleans.

Maybe retribution for the Asian invasion in Bradford during the 70s & 80s and 90s

lol

am i the only buyer out there ? Im either going to be crying in my soup in the poor house or laughing in my Ferrari if this ever sorts itself as will be paying more in capital gains tax on the dividend than i used to earn in the city. Anyway have my limit orders to buy even more if it gets pummeled to the 15p area. Off to the first night F1 Grand prix practice session as likley to be far less stressful

If the deal isn't done in the US, IMO this will have gone by the middle to the end of next week. Probably taken over but whether the shareholders get anything back is debatable.

I wish you luck and if you get your Ferrari, can I have a go?

You can have a drive of my Skoda ......

Don't lool like the US deal is done. Should be interesting to see how UK banks do today. I think it is curtains for BB in the next few days

sub 20p for the first time.

Hey scotsman I won my bet..!

BB Now 18p down over 15%

You're right...18p...could be sub 10p next week.

I don't think it will last till next week. Something will happen today, or over the weekend. Shares Could be suspended today. 17.5 now

Its ok GB is in America holding talks with Bush re a possible bail out of BB.

im definately off to the garnd prix now have just hit another limit down and now the owner of 1/2 million fast approaching worthless shares. If this rescue plan does not get signed off at the weekend then I am seriously concerned that there will be nothing left on Monday.

I think Gordon is going to copy Bush's idea as usual and cost more demise to our economy.

If the US bailout goes through, it will cost each American $US2333. Why should they absorp the burden when the fatcats get all the bonuses in good times?