During the 1980s, U.S. commercial banks faced increased competition in their lending activity from large finance companies. This article analyzes the differential performance of banks and finance companies in various segments of the consumer and business credit markets. In particular, it...

On March 11, Stephen G. Cecchetti, Executive Vice President and Director of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, delivered the following remarks at the symposium A New Equilibrium in the Credit Business: The Future of Financial Systems--Regulation in the Twenty-First Century,...

Cross-border consolidation of financial institutions within Europe has been relatively limited, possibly reflecting efficiency barriers to operating across borders, including distance; differences in language, culture, currency, and regulatory/supervisory structures; and explicit or implicit rules...

Poor performance by the financial sector can be costly for society. On the other hand, a healthy banking sector has been thought by some to contribute to the growth of the economy. Recently, though, economists have begun to analyze new elements of the linkages between the financial and real...