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Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
- bank and banking - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
A bank is a business that borrows and lends money. It borrows money from customers called depositors. It lends money to other customers called borrowers. It pays fees to the depositors and collects fees from the borrowers. The fees are called interest. The bank makes a profit by collecting more interest than it pays out. Modern banks do many other things as well.
- bank and banking - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
Banks are institutions that deal in money and its substitutes. They accept deposits, make loans, and derive a profit from the difference in the interest paid to lenders (depositors) and charged to borrowers, respectively. From these deposits the bank makes loans to individuals, businesses, government agencies, and other banks. Banks also profit from fees charged for services such as checking accounts, credit cards, and mortgages. Many banks now offer a number of other investment products and financial services, including retirement accounts, annuities, mutual funds, and investment management.