Lehman Brothers looking for a buyer?

Is there any real hope that Lehman Brothers can make it on its own? Fewer people seem to think so. CNBC reports that insiders at the firm want to sell the company before business radically worsens, forcing the bank into emergency job slashing. Already, top bankers and executives are putting out feelers to other possible employers. Conventional wisdom holds that CEO Dick Fuld has got to be thinking of a deal. Frankly, he'd be crazy not to at this point. CNBC says the list of possible buyers includes HSBC, Barclays, and Toronto Dominion. Note that they are all foreign institutions. Let's face it, there are few domestic banks that can handle such a deal right now. I can't see HSBC or Barclays ponying up right now, either. The fact is the list of possible acquirers is short. The wild card remains private equity firms. The Blackstone Group reportedly was mulling a stake.

For more:
- here's the CNBC article

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