Crisis provokes many bankruptcies in US but few in Europe. - Although the banking hierarchy has been subject to significant upset over the past few years, following the financial crisis, few European establishments have gone under. In the US, however, the opposite is true and there have been many bankruptcies. The European region that most felt the force of the shakedown was in Benelux countries. In Spain, restructuring has seen the number of savings banks fall from 45 to 15%, with the majority of the remaining establishments becoming ordinary banks. On the other hand, in the US, the 2008 crisis led to the disappearance of 140 banks in 2009, 157 in 2010 and 92 in 2011. Since the beginning of 2012, 12 banks have gone under in the US. (IL/transl.fl)