This important volume focuses on the origins, growth and impact over time of multinational banks. Why have banks established branches in foreign countries? What do such banks do? How have they performed? What has been the developmental impact of international banking? How has multinational banking changed over time? Why have banking activities clustered in international financial centres such as New York, Tokyo and London? The articles in this selection cover a wide range of national experiences including those of the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. The volume brings together literature from a range of disciplines, including banking, economics and business history in a comprehensive collection of the best articles published on the development of multinational banks.