Investment Banks

Departments

Commodities
Credit
Cross Asset
Economics
Emerging Markets
Equities
Foreign Exchange
Interest Rates
Securitised Products
Strategy
Index, Portfolio & Risk
QA and Risk

Activities include: accepting (accepting bills of exchange), corpoarte finance, securities trading, investment management, loan arrangement, foreign exchange
Merchant Bank the equivalent but a classic UK term
They both help people to find the money, they underwrite new issues, they will buy the securities if investors don't

- Corporate Finance activities include:
new issues (bonds and equities), rights issues, mergers & acquisitions, research.
new issues of bonds and equities involve pricing the securities, selling them to investors and underwriting and general advice on regulations that must be followed, close liasion with lawyers and accountants.
Underwriting is the undertaking to buy any securities that the investors cannot be persuaded to buy. Fees will be charged and the risk will be spread amongst other banks and investment institutions.
Merger and Acquisitions - firms planning to take over other companies will ask for help regarding price, tactics, timing etc. Equally the object of the takeover will turn to these bankers for help in fending off the preditors
The fees are substantial in Large takeovers there may be several investment banks on each side.