The term financial services describes the economic services that are provided by the finance industry. This industry includes a broad range of businesses such as credit-card companies, banks, and credit unions. It also includes the companies that provide financial advice. Financial services can be used for many different purposes. One common application is investing. Other types of financial services include insurance companies and factoring.
Investment banks
Investment banks provide a wide range of financial services to businesses and individuals. They act as intermediaries between security issuers and investors, and can even help a new company go public. Investment banks typically buy all available shares of a new company for an estimated price, and then resell them to the public on behalf of the issuer. In return, they take a commission from the sale of each share.
Insurance companies
Insurance companies are financial services that underwrite economic risks and provide contingent promises of economic protection to clients. The services offered by these companies are divided into two main categories: general and life insurance. General insurance policies are short-term, while life insurance policies last for an extended period, typically until the insured dies. Property insurance, on the other hand, is available to almost every sector of society. As with any other type of financial service, insurers must gather a wealth of information to assess risk and determine the appropriate level of coverage.
Commercial banks
Commercial banks offer a range of financial services and are often funded through the stock markets. Some of these services are aimed at the poor, such as microfinance, which helps the poor scale up their businesses. Others offer loans to well-known organizations. These institutions vary in size and scope, but they all provide financial services to individuals and businesses.
Factoring companies
Factoring companies provide businesses with a flexible way to obtain fast cash. Their services help businesses receive payment for invoices sooner than if they were reliant on traditional banking institutions. These companies will perform credit checks on their customers, and will receive a percentage of the invoice value as repayment. This helps businesses in a variety of financial situations, from those that are unbankable to those that are undercapitalized and finance-strapped.
Hedge funds
Although the number of hedge funds has increased significantly since 1998, their total assets under management have also increased at a faster pace. While they still represent a small portion of total financial assets, they play an increasingly important role in some market segments. In addition, major financial institutions today have more exposure to hedge funds than they did in 1998. This is largely due to the fact that the average amount of leverage used by hedge funds is significantly lower today than it was in 1998. However, many people remain uneasy about the extent to which hedge funds can be leveraged.
Mutual funds
Mutual funds have become a major part of the financial services industry. According to the American Bankers Association, over 3,500 banks offer mutual funds. Some refer customers to outside brokerages; others manage their own funds.
Investment partnerships
Investment partnerships in financial services are a way for financial services firms to pool capital from a large number of investors. This capital is then invested in a wide variety of financial securities. These partnerships are often called mutual funds. The collective holdings of these funds are referred to as a portfolio. Investment partnerships are often eligible for favorable tax treatment. In North Carolina, for example, investment partnerships are not considered to be doing business and are therefore not subject to income tax on behalf of their nonresident partners.
Real estate brokers
When you are in the business of real estate brokerage, you will need to access a wide range of financial services. This includes mortgage loans and insurance. But before you begin to utilize these services, you should first become familiar with the requirements and regulations regarding this industry. A licensed real estate broker is explicitly responsible for all aspects of his or her business, including the supervision of non-licensed brokers. This is because he or she must provide all the necessary training and oversight for these employees.