Abstract: Using a unique sample of 425 bank mergers in the US announced between 2000 and 2008 this paper provides clear evidence supporting the collusion and productive efficiency hypotheses. By analyzing 425 bank mergers and a total of 1112 possible rivals, our analysis shows that the majority...

This paper studies how target industry competition affects shareholder gains around mergers and acquisitions. We find that industry competition does not affect the combined (bidder and target) announcement returns; however, when taken separately, the impact is negative for bidder and positive...

The EU agenda for improving competitiveness is missing in action. Economic competitiveness has been a central plank in the development of the European Union - a relentless quest for policies that lead to more prosperity and that make European companies in world markets more successful. However,...

We model the impact of bank mergers on loan competition, banks' reserve holdings and aggregate liquidity. Banks compete in a differentiated loan market, hold reserves against liquidity shocks, and refinance in the interbank market. A merger creates an internal money market that induces financial...