Banks play a vital role in the global economy, efficiently allocating capital in their service as financial intermediaries between borrowers and lenders. Besides supplying much of the liquidity that fuels economic growth, banks also help manage the transfer of risk. This guide, authored by Ryan C. Fuhrmann, CFA, provides an overview of how the banking industry operates and its regulatory framework, as well as practical guidance for effective financial analysis of the industry and its publicly-traded firms.