The major financial industries are insurance, stockbroking and banking. The insurance industry offers every type of insurance to all types of customers. Stockbrokers work for brokerage firms investing clients' money in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and commodities.
Banks provide services to individuals and corporations.
They safeguard money and valuables, provide checking and savings accounts, and grant loans and lines of credit. Deregulation has allowed banks to diversify into financial planning, brokerage and insurance services. Venture capital firms raise money from private and institutional investors to invest in young companies that they hope will be very successful. A career in financial services means working in an office setting, usually in the financial heart of a city. The average work week is between 40 and 80 hours.