Foreign financial firms whetting their appetite for U.S. banks

With regulators working hard to line up buyers for failed banks, it's of little surprise that foreign financial companies are entering the fray. Indeed, some of the biggest names in international finance have used acquisitions to establish or expand their presence in the United States.

Next up may be Spain's Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentario. The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, among others, reported this week that BBVA would take over Guaranty Bank, the ailing Texas lender that has been saying it's on the brink of failure for weeks. (UPDATE: As expected, Guaranty was closed and sold to BBVA on Friday night.)