An institutional investor is an organization that trades securities for investment purposes. An institutional investor can make investments utilizing its own assets. In addition, an institutional investor may invest on behalf of others with whom it has a fiduciary relationship. Investment companies, pension funds, mutual funds, insurance companies, and other organized investment entities may all be placed under institutional investor category. Institutional investor organizations may even include endowments, charities, and universities. Institutional investor establishments hire professional analysts and advisers in order to hedge risk and generate stable returns. Because institutional investor firms generally operate with substation capital and trade in high volumes, they often tend to influence stock prices and company policies. A typical institutional investor is far less restricted in market action than an individual investor. |
