We regularly talk to bank executives from around the world.  The number of US Banks that are insured by the FDIC has decreased in recent years, down from over 12,300 in 1990 to just 6,656 insured institutions as of the second quarter of 2014. These declines can be explained by a number of factors, including mergers and failed banks. There are identifiable waves and trends over the past decade, too. Early 1990s: During the early 1990s, the number of mergers outweighed the relatively high...