Financial services help people and businesses make, invest and manage their money. They include banks, credit unions, credit cards, mutual funds and other types of investment firms.
Banks and other financial services earn revenue through fees, commissions and the spread of interest rates between loans and deposits. They also provide other related services such as checking accounts, deposit insurance and money orders.
These services are mainly offered by large commercial banks, community banks and credit unions. They also include some non-banking entities, such as mortgage lenders and credit card companies.
The primary role of financial services is to serve as a source of financing for individuals, corporations and governments. They offer both consumer and business finance products and services that enable people to buy goods and services with installments.
Those who are in financial services also work with investments, such as stocks, bonds and real estate. They also manage money for clients by creating and maintaining portfolios of investments in various securities.
This industry is a vital source of economic activity, supporting the free flow of capital and liquidity in the market. It is a major component of the United States economy, generating jobs and revenue through lending, investments and other services.
A vibrant capital market is one of the key barometers of a healthy economy, and it is essential for boosting production. Similarly, the presence of financial services ensures that the government is able to raise both short-term and long-term funds through the sale of Treasury Bills in the money market and through the purchase of government securities in the securities market.