In analyzing the competitive effects of proposed bank mergers and acquisitions, United States antitrust authorities rely on two important assumptions: (1) that markets for at least some types of banking products are local in scope, and (2) that market concentration measures can serve as...

Bank lending to small firms in the U.S. fell substantially during the recent financial crisis and the ensuing recession. Because small firms account for a disproportionate share of new job creation, lending to these firms could have important implications for the pace of economic recovery. A...