Assignment

ECO201 – Macroeconomics

Unit 5 Assignment: Are Banks Special?
Due: Sunday by 11:59 pm at the end of Unit 5.
Are banks special?
Most US banks are privately owned, profit-making organizations. Although they provide a
service just as many other businesses, banks differ because of their importance in the macro
economy. Policymakers have debated whether banks should be permitted to only do “banking
business”, or whether banks should be permitted to engage in other lines of business such as
selling insurance or buying and selling stocks and bonds. In this week’s assignment you will
address that premise through the following questions;
1. Provide a brief (one paragraph) overview of this week’s material.
2. What are the risks for the macro economy if a bank fails, that do not exist for other
businesses?
3. If banks could participate in other lines of business, what benefits would there be for
consumers?
3. Overall, discuss whether or not banks should be allowed to enter other lines of business.
Provide support for position from course and/or outside materials.

Your final product will be a paper that:
Addresses each of the topic/questions above in total.
Is APA fortatted.
The body is to be 2 pages minimum.
The requirements for your assignment are:
1. Answer each question fully
2. Define the overall subject of each question.
3. Cite at least three (3) resources from this week’s materials.