STD Banco Santander, S.A. Sponsored Adr (Spain)

The Spanish banking sector is estimating that the government will ask for a European Union financing package of some EUR60 billion once the audits on the banks carried out by Oliver Wyman and Roland Berger are completed later this month, reports Cinco Dias in its Monday Internet edition.

Some investment banks peg that figure at EUR80 billion, but Spanish banks deem that to be excessive, the paper adds. The EU will lend Spain as much as EUR100 billion.

According to calculations by experts, only Banco Santander SA (STD) and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA (BBVA) won't need to request EU funds, the paper adds.

Newspaper Web site: www.cincodias.com

Write to Enza Tedesco at enza.tedesco@dowjones.com