Description:A comprehensive guide to Wall Street, the world's leading financial center. This book provides an authoritative but accessible guide to what happens on Wall Street, how it works, who does what, and why it matters. It provides an overview of the scope and significance of the Wall Street financial services industry, identifying key macro-level developments and significant trends. At the micro-level, the book surveys the principal markets, activities and institutions (including individual profiles of the leading firms). The book also examines the future of Wall Street following the September 11 attack, concluding that it will continue to be a powerhouse of the US and global economies. Wall Street's colorful history is outlined, together with an examination of the crisis that followed the collapse in the technology boom and the attacks on the World Trade Center.