Banks gain the benefits.

The Banker (UK); June 1999

This article lists the profits, and change in profits, for the top 10 U.S. banks in 1998-99, and tabulates mergers in the last three years, ranked by assets. It also ranks the top 200 U.S. banks at the end of 1998 by strength, size, soundness, profits, performance and FT composite credit rating index. This article also asserts that major banks are performing well, with diverse core earnings, large market shares, powerful capital and earnings positions, large retail deposits and rising management quality. It reports a favourable economic climate and continuing merger activity, but some increase in non-performing loans. The author also discusses how mergers between commercial and investment banking are dependent on managerial and cultural issues for success, and surveys some of the year's mergers.

Research by Anbar Electronic Intelligence (www.anbar.com)