Global Investment Banking Leaders: Top Firms Beyond the US

In the complicated world of stocks and securities, you will often hear the names of top investment companies. Top investment banking companies will often dictate the direction of stock markets, as well as other commodities and securities markets.

The major function of an investment bank is to issue securities such as bonds, equities, derivatives or other types of investment vehicles and then sell them in capital markets to collect funds for their client customers. The largest investment banks in the world handle huge amounts of money that flow in and out of the capital markets every day. Revenues for global investment banking services have grown tremendously during the past few years and now are in the many billions of dollars.

The most successful investment banks in the world are responsible for regulating international finance sectors to a certain degree. In fact, many major banks, corporations and even governments are advised on foreign exchange trading by investment banks. While the United States is the predominantly major source of investment banking revenue, investment banks in other areas of the world are also becoming larger and are gaining influence on global markets.

Top Foreign Investment Banks

Over the past several years, several major European investment banks have grown in size and influence in the global security markets. Companies like ABN Amro Bank of the Netherlands, Deutsche Bank of Germany, and UBS AG of Switzerland are all now leading financial services providers. These banks are influential not only in European securities markets, but in the United States as well.

These investment banks control the flow of billions of dollars every day, in and out of global securities markets. They represent the interests of some of the largest corporate customers in the world as well as manage funds and assets for many sovereign national governments.

Whereas most of the world's major corporations used to rely on his solely on large American investment banks to handle investments and securities for them, more and more companies around the world are turning to other alternatives for their investment banking needs.

In recent years, more and more analysts have indicated that some American investment banks simply make investment decisions that may be considered too risky for the conservative mindset of many of the world’s foreign investors. Therefore, these very large and powerful European investment banks are taking advantage of a growing global economy and a reluctance of some foreign investors to use American investment banks.

Other Major Investment Bank Players

There are several other rapidly growing investment banks in Asia and the Middle East as well. In Japan investment banks like Nomura service large investors all over Asia as well as Russia and the Middle East.

Furthermore, sovereign governments in the in many areas of the world are also engaging in investment banking services. For example the Saudi Investment Bank is a Saudi Arabian joint stock company that was established by the royal family of Saudi Arabia. It is fast becoming one of the most influential investment banks in the world due to the vast amount amounts of oil revenues that are funneled into the investment bank by the Saudi royal family. Furthermore, other Middle East countries that are enjoying higher revenues on oil sales are also engaging in many types of investment banking services.