How competitive is the market for banking services?

A: With more than 7,000 banks and thrifts in the U.S., banking is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Consider the following characteristics of the American financial services marketplace:

• There are more banks per citizen in the U.S. than in any country in the world.

• There are nearly four times more deposit-taking institutions in the U.S. than in the 15 nations of the European Union, Switzerland, Canada and Japan combined.

• More than 7,300 credit unions, 5,000 securities brokers, 2,500 mortgage companies and 1,500 finance companies today vie for consumers' business.