The company has a 6.6% dividend, and Kramer says some high-net-worth brokers are pushing Verizon as a better investment than certificates of deposit, which have about a 1% return now.

FORBES: Investments For 2010

It has over 30% of California's deposit accounts, leading market positions in corporate lending and investment banking, and a return on equity of 17%.

ECONOMIST: Banking on the promised land

Shashi Verma, TfL's director of customer experience, said: ''Pay as you go Oyster cards do not expire and customers are able to return their cards to a Tube ticket office at any time for a refund of the remaining balance and card deposit.

BBC: Unused Oyster cards valued at ?55m

Banks can deposit all kinds of collateral with euro-area central banks in return for cash without paying a penalty rate, while, until the latest joint operation, the Fed still demanded a penalty rate as did the Bank of England, which also accepted only high-quality collateral.

ECONOMIST: The ECB dishes out ��350 billion