Топик: Темы для экзамена в Финансовой академии, 1 курс
From the time of its foundation the Bank had strong links with the government and these strengthened over the centuries until in 1946 it was nationalised and became publicly owned.
The Bank of England is controlled by a Court of Directors — similar to a board of directors running a large public company — made up of the Governor, the Deputy Governor and sixteen directors. They are all appointed by the Crown.
As the central bank of the United Kingdom, the Bank of England:
— Implements the monetary policy of the government. It decides what percentage of bank deposits is held as cash, and what percentage may be lent.
— Acts as banker to the government. It administers exchange control and keeps the nation's gold and foreign currency reserves. The Bank keeps the government's banking accounts, manages the accounts and funds of various governmental departments.
— Acts as banker to the deposit banks. It keeps the accounts of other banks.
— Acts as lender of last resort to the discount houses.
Has about 90 accounts for overseas central banks.
№19. Types of bank services.
Banks are among the most important financial institutions in the economy that produce and sell financial services. Banking covers so many services that it is difficult to define it. Both types of banking, however, have three essential functions. They are:
Deposit function —receiving customers deposits and offering interest-bearing deposits.
Payments function — making payments on behalf of customers for their purchases of goods and services.
Credit function —tending and investing money. There are some traditional services that banks offer.
Carrying out currency exchange . In today's financial marketplace trading in foreign currency is usually carried out by the largest banks due to currency risk and the expertise needed to carry out cash transactions.
Safekeeping of valuables . During the Middle Ages, banks began the practice of holding gold, securities, and other valuables owned by their customers in secure vaults. Customers still leave articles of value, locked boxes, wills, and many other things in bank strong rooms for safety. The customer should lock boxes and seal parcels before he hands them in to the bank. The banker will issue a receipt if so required. The banker hands them back only against a signature by his customer or a properly-appointed agent whom the bank knows.
Trust services . This property management function is known as trust services. Most banks offer both personal trust services to individuals and families and commercial trust services to corporations and other businesses.
Among the newest services offered by banks are:
Financial Advising —customers have long asked for financial advice, particularly, when it comes to the use of credit and the saving and investing of funds.
Cash Management —over the years banks have found that some of the services they provide for themselves are also valuable for their customers.
Setting Insurance Policies —most banks either offer selected insurance policies to their customers or have plans to offer insurance services in die near future.
Offering Security Brokerage Services —in today's financial marketplace many banks are doing their best to become true "financial department stores”. This is one of the main reasons banks began to market security brokerage services in the 1980s, offering their customers the opportunity to buy stocks, bonds, and other securities without security dealers or brokers.
It should be clear from the list of services described that the changes affecting the banking business today are so important that many industry analysts refer to current trends as "a banking revolution".
№17. Banking in the US.
Banking services were associated with the Gold Rush. The first gold strike occurred in California in 1848. In the wake came the problems of carrying mail and gold dust over hundreds of miles. A concern called Adams and Company opened its office in San Francisco in 1849. The express company received the miner's gold for the pose of shipment. It weighed the gold, gave a receipt for it and assumed responsibility for its safety. Thus the express company’s iron safe became the local bank. About this time in Sacramento a group also opened a bank. There were three clerks, all armed with Colt revolvers and knives, and the banking hours were from six in the evening until ten at night. It was in 1852 that Wells Fargo andCompany was born. In the July of that year two of its senior men arrived in California, one to be responsible for the express service the other for the banking. The company forwarded packages, parcels and freights of ail descriptions between New York and San Francisco, purchased and sold gold dust, bullion and bills of exchange. It also attended to the payment and collection of notes, bills and accounts.
It was very different from the goldsmiths and their notes. And yet the basic functions of providing security, accepting deposits, paying and collecting bills, were exactly the same. All that has happened since has been only a development of these basic functions.
At present the Federal Reserve System is the core of the country's financial institutions, payment processes, markets and instruments. The system has four basic functions:
(I) influencing the supply of money and credit,
(2) regulating and supervising financial institutions,
(3) serving as a banker and fiscal agent for the government