The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour.
Retail banking is heading for a revival. With the financial crisis still hanging over Western economies, banks have rejuvenated the retail arm of the business. They are now seen as more stable sources of profit than the risky traders.
Technology is both a help and a hindrance. On one hand, online banking is revolutionizing money management. But will this lead to the close of the high street bank? How can banks outstrip the developing tech companies who are offering rival services?
This report will assess the challenges and opportunities that banks face in the rich world and the emerging markets. Sections include:
Retail renaissance
Withering away
Dispatches from the hothouse
Crunching the numbers
A wealth of wallets
Over the sea and far away
Private pursuits
World, here we come

Jonathan Rosenthal is The Economist's London-based International banking correspondent, a post he assumed in early 2011. He joined The Economist in 2005 as British business correspondent, having worked for several years at Bloomberg News in London and Johannesburg. Before that he was the mining editor of Business Report, a South African daily newspaper. His previous roles at The Economist have included European business and finance correspondent, based in Berlin, and British business correspondent based in London. In January 2008, Jonathan won the Feature of the Year award at the WorkWorld Media Awards, and the following year he was named Reported of the Year. He has appeared on television and radio in several countries including BBC News 24, Sky and on ITV's "Tonight" programme, among others. Jonathan wrote The Economist's 2011 special report on international banking, which examined the reregulation of finance after the crisis.