Goldman Sachs is set to join a swelling band of banks seeking to repay funds received from the US government’s bank recapitalisation scheme.

Under current rules, banks that received money from the government are required to raise common or preferred equity to replace the government funds, or obtain permission from their regulators to redeem the money from existing capital. Goldman is likely to choose the latter route.

Additional limitations may come as Congress debates rules imposing taxes on bonuses paid by companies accepting government funds. The House of Representatives last week passed a bill that would levy a 90 per cent tax on bonuses paid by banks capitalised by the Tarp.

But the events of recent weeks, in particular the Treasury’s plan to allow private investors to purchase tarnished assets from banks, have given Goldman’s top executives confidence they can repay the capital soon.

swelling 膨張

redeem 〈債務・質物・抵当などを〉〔…から〕弁済する，償還する、〈株券などを〉現金化する

levy …から〈税を〉徴収する

tarnish 金属などを〉曇らせる，さびさせる