Federal interstate banking and branching reform is about to become a reality, with the first phase of new legislation going into effect later this year. Past experience at the state level suggests that reform will accelerate the pace of industry consolidation but may not lead immediately to...

The largest U.S. commercial banks are restructuring their retail operations to reduce the cost disadvantage resulting from a stagnant deposit base and stiffer competition. As part of this effort, some banks are opening "supermarket," or "in-store," branches: a new type of banking office within a...

The consolidation rate in the Federal Reserve's Second District banking markets generally outpaced the national average between 1989 and 1994. Nevertheless, these banking markets remain relatively unconcentrated, with midsized banks increasing their market share at the expense of large banks.

On September 11, 2000, Jamie B. Stewart, Jr., First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, delivered the following remarks at Sibos 2000, the international banking operations seminar sponsored by the payment network SWIFT (Society for Worldwide...