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A Perplexed Economist Confronts 'too Big to Fail'

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  • F. M. Scherer

Abstract

This paper examines premises and data underlying the assertion that some financial institutions in the U.S. economy were "too big to fail" and hence warranted government bailout. It traces the merger histories enhancing the dominance of six leading firms in the U. S. banking industry and he sharp increases in the concentration of financial institution assets accompanying that merger wave. Financial institution profits are found to have soared in tandem with rising concentration. The paper advances hypotheses why these phenomena might be related and surveys relevant empirical literature on the relationships between market concentration, interest rates received and charged by banks, and economies of scale in banking.

Suggested Citation

  • F. M. Scherer, 2010. "A Perplexed Economist Confronts 'too Big to Fail'," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 7(2), pages 267-284, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:liu:liucej:v:7:y:2010:i:2:p:267-284
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    File URL: https://ejce.liuc.it/18242979201002/182429792010070202.pdf
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Xavier Vives, 2011. "Competition policy in banking," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 27(3), pages 479-497.
    2. Günther, Susanne, 2013. "Eine ökonomische Analyse der Systemrelevanz von Banken," Arbeitspapiere 139, University of Münster, Institute for Cooperatives.
    3. Kersten Kellermann, 2011. "Too big to fail: a thorn in the side of free markets," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 38(3), pages 331-349, July.
    4. Lorenzo Esposito, 2013. "Connect them where it hurts. The missing piece of the puzzle," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 151, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    5. Lee, Li Way, 2013. "Merger wave in a small world: Two views," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 68-71.
    6. Kellermann, Kersten, 2010. "Too Big To Fail: Ein gordischer Knoten für die Finanzmarktaufsicht?," KOFL Working Papers 6, Konjunkturforschungsstelle Liechtenstein (KOFL), Vaduz.
    7. Giuseppe Mastromatteo & Giuseppe Mastromatteo, 2016. "Minsky at Basel: A Global Cap to Build an Effective Postcrisis Banking Supervision Framework," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_875, Levy Economics Institute.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    systemic risk; market concentration; mergers; scale economies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G2 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services
    • L8 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services

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