BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas is a French multinational banking and financial services group and one of the largest banks in the world by assets. The company is headquartered in Paris and operates across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Africa, serving individual, corporate and institutional clients. BNP Paribas is listed on Euronext Paris and is a component of the Euro Stoxx 50 stock index. The group's activities span retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, investment solutions and specialised financial services including asset management, insurance and real estate. BNP Paribas employs more than 180 000 people globally and maintains a significant presence in commodity markets through its commodities trading and research divisions. The bank provides financing, hedging and advisory services to mining companies, commodity producers and industrial consumers, and its analysts publish research on metals, energy and agricultural markets. BNP Paribas is active in precious metals trading and clearing, offering clients access to gold, silver, platinum and palladium markets including exchange-traded contracts on COMEX and over-the-counter transactions. The bank was formed in 2000 through the merger of Banque Nationale de Paris and Paribas, two institutions with roots stretching back to the nineteenth century.