MatthewLilley, an analyst at Nomura, quips that at least with banks investors are prepared to trust one side of thebalance-sheet.

In order for the balance sheet to balance, total assets on one side have to equal total liabilities plus shareholders' equity on the other.

The way further south into the rest of America was through an ice-free corridor between the Rocky Mountains on the Pacific side, and the vast continental ice-sheet covering Canada on the other.