Banks Vie for Europe's Consumers.

Discusses the consumer-finance industry in Europe. Idea that many Europeans, especially Germans, do not have credit cards; Finance companies which are growing in Europe, including General Electric Co, (GE), Citigroup Inc., and BNP Paribas SA; Competition between the companies to dominate the market for personal loans, credit cards, sales financing, and subprime mortgages; Plans of GE Consumer Finance to purchase Abbey National PLC's consumer-finance arm in Great Britain.