Author: Dymski, Gary A.
Issues in Money, Banking, and Finance; Paperback; Illustrations
320 pages
Published: March 1999
M.E. Sharpe
ISBN: 0765603837

This far-reaching study shows that operating efficiencies are not what are driving today's unrelenting bank merger mania. It suggests that bank mergers and consolidation may have effects that are contrary to consumer and non-financial business interests, such as lower rates of interest, increasing fees, and tighter credit constraints. Dymski recommends several new policies to apply to the evaluation of prospective mergers.The merger-mania of the 1990s has seen half of all US banks in operation at the end of the 1970 disappear. This study shows that it is not operating efficiences driving the mergers, and that consolidation may have effects contrary to consumer and non-financial businesss interests.