Financial system/Addendum
Selected financial institutions
Banks
The United States [1]
Bank of America[2]
J P Morgan Chase[3]
Citibank[4]
Wachovia[5]
The United Kingdom
HSBC[6]
Lloyds Banking Group[7]
Royal Bank of Scotland Group[8]
Barclays[9]
Other finance providers
Investment managers
Goldman Sachs[10]
Bridgewater Associates[11]
Credit rating agencies
Standard and Poor's[12]
Moodys[13]
FitchRatings[14]
Stock exchanges
The New York Stock Exchange
NASDAQ
The London Stock Exchange
Regulators
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision[15]
Federal Reserve System[16]
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation[17]
Financial Services Authority (UK)[18]
Qffice of the Comptroller of the Currency[19]
National Credit Union Administration[20]
Central banks
The Federal Reserve System[21]
The European Central Bank[22] operates the monetary policy of the European monetary system in order to maintain price stability, while seeking to avoid generating excessive fluctuations in output and employment.
International institutions
The International Monetary Fund[24] was set up in 1944, mainly to provide loans to member governments in support of policies to deal with balance of payments problems. In recent years it has also devoted its resources to the strengthening of the international financial system and relieving financial crises. It also advises member governments about their economic problems and, when necessary, it grants loans to help resolve them.
The World Bank provides low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries, finances selected private sector projects,. guarantees foreign investors against non-commercial risks and settles disputes between foreign investors and host countries.
The Bank for International Settlements serves as the central banks’ bank and provides a forum to promote discussion and policy analysis among central bank governors and senior executives. Its committees include the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and the Committee on the Global Financial System.