Though many politicians may point to the idea that low interest rates are helping the big banks perform well through lowered borrowing costs, and that the stock price performance of some of these "too big to fail" banks is also partly due to investor confidence that these banks would have the tacit support of the government should they need it, in this video, Fool analyst David Hanson tells investors the real reason these big banks are shooting upward today. To understand what's been lifting these banks into the stratosphere now, you only need to look back at where they were at the end of 2011. 

Bank of America’s stock doubled in 2012. Is there more yet to come? With significant challenges still ahead, it’s critical to have a solid understanding of this megabank before adding it to your portfolio. In The Motley Fool’s premium research report on B of A, analysts Anand Chokkavelu, CFA, and Matt Koppenheffer, Financials bureau chief, lift the veil on the bank's operations, including detailing three reasons to buy and three reasons to sell. Click here now to claim your copy.