Explain the Main Reasons Why Financial Markets and Financial Intermediaries Exist.
A financial intermediary, by definition, is responsible for the process of transferring money from economic agents with a surplus of funds to economic agents with a deficit of funds, and is known as financial intermediation. This is achieved by means of a financial security, such as stocks and bonds. The mechanism that allows the trade of such financial securities is known as a financial market. Financial markets aim to facilitate the raising of capital, as well as the transfer of risk between economic agents and also international trade. Typically, the borrower will issue a receipt, or financial security, to the lender that promises to pay back the capital gained. Securities such as these can be freely bought or sold within financial markets. The lender should expect some sort of capital gains from these securities in the form of dividends or interest on the amount invested initially.
As previously mentioned, financial intermediaries exist primarily to transfer funds from economic agents with a surplus of funds, i.e. those with incomes greater than expenditure, to those agents that have a deficit of funds, or those with incomes less than their expenditure. Banks, insurance companies and pension funds are examples of financial intermediaries. An example of an economic agent could be an individual willing to invest, or a company, institution or even the government. The transfer of funds between these economic agents occurs in one of two ways. The first process is known as direct finance. This means that the transfer of funds from economic agents with surplus funds, such as savers and lenders, to those with a deficit, or borrowers, occurs via financial markets such as the stock exchange. The second process is known as indirect finance, which means that the transfer of funds between economic agents does not occur directly from lenders to borrows, but via a financial intermediary or “middle-man”. Borrowers and lenders tend not to engage in financial
As previously mentioned, financial intermediaries exist primarily to transfer funds from economic agents with a surplus of funds, i.e. those with incomes greater than expenditure, to those agents that have a deficit of funds, or those with incomes less than their expenditure. Banks, insurance companies and pension funds are examples of financial intermediaries. An example of an economic agent could be an individual willing to invest, or a company, institution or even the government. The transfer of funds between these economic agents occurs in one of two ways. The first process is known as direct finance. This means that the transfer of funds from economic agents with surplus funds, such as savers and lenders, to those with a deficit, or borrowers, occurs via financial markets such as the stock exchange. The second process is known as indirect finance, which means that the transfer of funds between economic agents does not occur directly from lenders to borrows, but via a financial intermediary or “middle-man”. Borrowers and lenders tend not to engage in financial
References: Pilbeam, K. (2005). Finance and Financial Markets, 2nd ed. Palgrave Macmillan. Casu, B., Girardone, C. and Molyneux, P. (2006). Introduction to banking. FT Prentice Hall.