Jp Morgan Asset Management

Though the term 'investment bank' may sound somewhat intimidating to someone unfamiliar with Wall Street's common lingo, the reverence is mostly unmerited. Here's a quick but complete synopsis of what these specialized financial institutions do, and how they operate.

What Is An Investment Bank?

Despite the name, investment banking isn't 'banking' at all - at least not in the traditional sense. Investment banks are organizations through which companies can raise funds by selling stakes (stock) of the company in exchange for cash. In simpler terms, investment banks 'take companies public' by acting as middlemen; the investment bank provides cash from investors for the company, and in return provides new shares of that company to those investors.

The process is also called underwriting. Therefore, investment bankers are sometimes referred to as underwriters.