The national banking crisis continues to play out locally this week with a series of uncertain headlines concerning D.C. area banks. First earlier this month we learned that Bethesda-based Chevy Chase Bank was for sale, and that Citigroup was in talks to buy it. But then, as you’ve all heard by now, Citigroup’s stock started to plummet because every investor in the world right now is having an hourly anxiety attack, which led most folks to believe that Citi didn’t stand a chance of closing the deal. Other suitors like Capitol One, JPMorgan Chase, SunTrust and BB&T then popped up to express interest in Chevy Chase while Citi flailed about. But, soft! The feds jumped in to help out Citigroup late on Sunday, and now nobody really knows anything except that apparently the only way for a bank to stay afloat these days is for them to get massive cash infusions from the U.S. government. Chevy Chase customers, you’re just going to have to sit tight until this all gets sorted out!

In other news, the Washington Business Journal reported on Friday that D.C.-based Adams National Bank is “a disaster” after reporting a $3.5 million loss for the third quarter. Area mattress retailers are further reporting a sharp increase in the number of customers asking about which model can hold the largest amount of cash.

Photo by el swifterino