Deutsche, Credit Agricole, Credit Suisse charged by EU over alleged bond cartel

Brussels

DEUTSCHE Bank, Credit Agricole, Credit Suisse and another bank have been charged by European Union (EU) anti-trust regulators for being in a bond trading cartel.

In the latest blow to the reputation and public image of the banking sector in Europe, which has faced billions of euros in fines for rigging interest rate benchmarks, the European Commission on Thursday did not name the banks it had charged. However, the Commission said its investigation focused on the conduct of certain traders at the four banks and contact between them, largely through online chatrooms.