The first part studies the determinants of international banking. The second part examines whether international activities shape the risk-market power tradeoff that is inherent to the banking business. Both papers rely on the pre-crisis period and thus reflect times of global expansion. The...

We adapt a theoretical model from the goods trade literature to test whether banks with a comparative cost advantage are more likely to enter foreign markets by means of foreign direct investment. We combine detailed proprietary bank-level data on the international activities of all German banks...

The internationalisation of banking in the industrial countries of the West has picked up speed since the mid-sixties. The American banks in particular have since 1965 almost trebled the number of their foreign establishments, and German banks likewise have been increasing their business...

This paper develops a model of banking across borders where banks differ in their efficiencies that can replicate key patterns in the data. More efficient banks are more likely to have assets, liabilities and affiliates abroad and have larger foreign operations. Banks are more likely to be...