Mergers of community banks across economic market areas potentially reduce both idiosyncratic and local market risk. A merger may reduce idiosyncratic risk because the larger post-merger bank has a larger customer base. Negative credit and liquidity shocks from individual customers would have...

Banks have been required to report many securities and all derivatives at fair values under U.S. GAAP rules for many years. Soon, International Accounting Standards will provide some banks with a “fair-value option” for loans, also. A similar movement toward applying fair values to loans may...

Risky behavior by banks is kept in check primarily with two tools: examinations and the rule that requires owners to keep a certain amount of their own money invested in their banks. Some people now want to tap the markets for further assistance with bank supervision.

The new banking accord could make survival for some regional and community banks more difficult. On the other hand, consumers could see lower mortgage rates.