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From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia A bank is a financial institution that accepts
deposits and channels those deposits into lending activities. Banks
primarily provide financial services to customers while enriching investors.
Government restrictions on financial activities by banks vary over time and
location. Banks are important players in financial markets and offer
services such as investment funds and loans. In some countries such as
Germany, banks have historically owned major stakes in industrial
corporations while in other countries such as the United States banks are
prohibited from owning non-financial companies. In Japan, banks are usually
the nexus of a cross-share holding entity known as the keiretsu. In France,
bancassurance is prevalent, as most banks offer insurance services (and now
real estate services) to their clients. |
