Investment banking is the key financial service provided to
facilitate financial markets and investments and has been evolving
mostly alongside the banking business. Investment banks operate
within banking groups or other business/financial groups.
Financial markets have been developed and are largely driven by
investments banks. These investment banks serve both corporate
and individual investors in handling their investments, corporate
finance, business restructuring and financial management
consultancy. Further, investment banks have been pioneers in
financial engineering profession which has been introducing
numerous innovative and complex financial products to markets
world over. Emerging markets also need investment banking
business to develop their financial markets in order to facilitate
economic growth. However, investment banks are also blamed for
financial market crises due to their complex nature of financial
products and a new discipline of investment banking separated
from retail banking is now being introduced. Therefore, this subject is designed to provide knowledge on major areas of
standard investment banking and its new trends to assist banking
and financial professionals to start specializing in investment
banking business.
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