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Journal of Banking & Finance Vol. 23 No. 2-4 1999

The consolidation of the financial services industry: Causes, consequences, and implications for the future

Allen N. Berger1,2; Rebecca S. Demsetz3; Philip E. Strahan3

1 Federal Reserve Board of Governors · 2 Federal Reserve · 3 Federal Reserve Bank of New York

open access

Abstract

This article designs a framework for evaluating the causes, consequences, and future implications of financial services industry consolidation, reviews the extant research literature within the context of this framework (over 250 references), and suggests fruitful avenues for future research. The evidence is consistent with increases in market power from some types of consolidation; improvements in profit efficiency and diversification of risks, but little or no cost efficiency improvement on average; relatively little effect on the availability of services to small customers; potential improvements in payments system efficiency; and potential costs on the financial system from increases in systemic risk or expansion of the financial safety net.

DOI
10.1016/s0378-4266(98)00125-3
Volume
23
Issue
2-4
Pages
135-194
Language
en
Sources
crossref openalex bibtex:phds-export.bib

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