Relaxation of the rules governing where banks can expand and new technologies for providing banking services have contributed to rapid consolidation in the industry. In addition, the number of commercial banks in the United States has been shrinking, and banks have been getting larger. Should we...

Regulators collect and produce information about banks. This information helps regulators monitor the safety and soundness of the banking system, and it also helps policymakers preserve financial stability. A key issue is whether this information should be made public and, if so, to what extent....