Financial services refer to the wide range of businesses that provide the money, goods and other products that enable people to make purchases and live their lives. They include banks, brokers, mortgage lenders and more.
Banks, insurance companies and stock exchanges are among the largest subsector sectors of the financial industry, but there’s much more to the sector than that.
The financial services sector plays an important role in a country’s economy. It’s what provides the funds that keep a nation’s economy going and what makes it possible for companies to raise capital and invest in new ideas.
While there are many types of businesses in this sector, it’s generally divided into four areas: banking and loans, investing and securities trading, insurance, and investment management.
Banking and loans
A bank is a company that provides savings accounts, checking accounts and other types of financial products. The industry also includes loan associations that offer mortgages and auto loans, as well as brokerage companies that sell stocks and bonds.
Other services in the finance industry help channel cash from savers to borrowers and redistribute risk so that all investors can benefit. These intermediation services are essential to the functioning of a healthy economy, and they’re vital to a country’s long-term growth.
In addition to helping people borrow and invest, these firms also provide financial advice that can help them manage their money and investments. This advice helps individuals avoid making costly mistakes when it comes to their personal finances.
The financial services industry consists of many different professional firms that offer these services, and it’s a complex and varied field. Each type of service in the industry requires a certain set of skills and knowledge.
These professionals are required to understand how different financial products work and how to use them correctly to protect their clients’ assets and interests. They may also need to be familiar with regulations that govern the business and how to comply with them.
They must be able to communicate effectively with customers and ensure that they’re receiving the best information possible, and they have to be able to respond quickly when customers have questions or concerns about their products and services.
This type of work is very rewarding, as most professionals in this sector rate their job satisfaction at a high 9.6 on average. They also enjoy a great deal of flexibility in their jobs, as they often have the opportunity to relocate and can find a job at a firm that’s based anywhere in the world.
Investors
The main function of investors is to supply funding for new businesses or to fund existing ones in exchange for ownership stakes and profit participation. The financial services industry includes private equity and venture capital funds, angel investors and others.
These firms are responsible for providing financing for businesses to purchase equipment, facilities, buildings and other items that they need to start their operations. They may also provide investment advice and other services, such as negotiating and preparing deals.