[ddebernardy]

Err...

Banks manage other people's money, meaning they ought to lead in liabilities.

Bank assets primarily are the loans they extend to customers, such as mortgages and car loans -- in theory anyway, since they paper it nowadays to avoid carrying part or all of the risks. They extend these loans by leveraging the money in your CDs and savings accounts. In a sense, they borrow against the money they owe you.

[rayiner]

They lead in both, because after all to be solvent their assets have to be at least as large as their liabilities.