As the concerns of investors increased, money center banks and other large financial institutions have come under significant pressure to take onto their own balance sheets the assets of some of the off-balance-sheet investment vehicles that they had sponsored.

NPR: Economic Swoon to Continue, Bernanke Says

The second was to use its balance sheet to help commercial and investment banks finance their holdings of hard-to-value securities and avoid fire-sales of assets.

ECONOMIST: America��s bail-out plan

Common requirements include: purpose of the loan, history of the business, financial statements for three years (existing businesses), schedule of term debts (existing businesses), aging of accounts receivable and payable (existing businesses), projected opening-day balance sheet (new businesses), lease details, amount of investment in the business by the owner(s), projections of income, expenses and cash flow, signed personal financial statements and personal resume(s).

FORBES: Washington D.C. Needs More Entrepreneurs

But with cost control, a strong balance sheet and loads of stock buybacks, Gap has made itself an attractive investment.

FORBES: Is Gap A Good Fit For Your Portfolio?

Or to buy short-term paper issued by off-the-balance-sheet financial units of major banks that were not transparent to the investment community.

FORBES: The Fed's Economy: Too Good To Be True?

Having a commercial bank would boost Morgan Stanley's efforts to use its balance sheet to attract more investment banking business, bring it a cheap source of deposit gathering and also bring it a fund-processing business.

FORBES: Top Asset Managers Are Hot Stuff

Credit Suisse has had its share of mishaps during the crisis but it was quick to scale down its balance-sheet, has plotted a credible strategy for its investment bank and pulled well ahead of UBS, its main rival in wealth management.

ECONOMIST: The world's best banks

Banks themselves engaged in a binge of creating off-balance-sheet structures, most notably with so-called SIVs (structured investment vehicles).

FORBES: Bush's Big Boo-Boo