What are NYC's "main businesses"? (Boston, Madison: real estate, insurance)

[Cida]

During the Boston bombing media frenzy, a television commentator said something so great: "How can you not love a city whose main businesses are healing people and educating people?"

In comparison, what do you think NYC's main businesses would be? Here's what I came up with.


Primarily:

1. Moving money around (banking, stock market, etc.)
2. Monetizing creativity (museums, book publishing, opera, etc.)

Secondarily, maybe:

3. Disseminating information (newspapers, magazines, public relations)
4. Feeding people

[Forest_Hills_Daddy]

FIRE - Finance, Insurance, Real Estate. You can also include media.

[Cida]

Originally Posted by Forest_Hills_Daddy

FIRE - Finance, Insurance, Real Estate. You can also include media.

I've certainly never head anyone say, for instance, "I'm going to move to NYC to work in insurance!"

[Forest_Hills_Daddy]

Originally Posted by Cida

I've certainly never head anyone say, for instance, "I'm going to move to NYC to work in insurance!"

NY-life, Metlife, Prudential, AIG, M&M - some of the nations largest insurance companies that are located in the metro area (though their presence is shrinking).

[Biskit]

Originally Posted by Forest_Hills_Daddy

NY-life, Metlife, Prudential, AIG, M&M - some of the nations largest insurance companies that are located in the metro area (though their presence is shrinking).

I agree, insurance is a huge industry in NYC. You also have Aon, Towers Watson, NY Life, Cigna, UHC etc.

Professional services is big - big 4 accounting, big 5 consulting, MBB strategy consulting, Marakon, Mars, LEK, Oliver Wyman, ATK etc.

Tech is going to be pretty big soon. Lots of internet start ups setting up shop in the city along with the big names.

[NYChistorygal]

Originally Posted by Cida

I've certainly never head anyone say, for instance, "I'm going to move to NYC to work in insurance!"

I have.

[nybbler]

Also "moving stuff around", i.e. trade.

[Astorian31]

NYC is mostly known for finance but in actuality the city has four major industries: Finance, Insurance, Healthcare and Real Estate. On top of that, it's also the largest media center in the Western Hemisphere.

[tpk-nyc]

Honorable mentions

• Big Law: Very specialized lawyers, especially in finance (M&A, bankruptcy, etc.), intellectual property and white collar crime
• Fashion: All the major designers are here and we have the only true (i.e., internationally followed) “fashion week” in the country
• Advertising: If you want to do a big, national campaign, you go to Madison Avenue.
• Pharmaceuticals: Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb are just the biggest, quite a lot in Jersey as well
• Diplomacy, NGOs and Philanthropy: The UN plus all of its attendant organizations and agencies
• Tourism: 50 million people spent $34 billion in 2011

[sirtiger]

Broadway shows: I realize this is part of tourism but I know people who come here specifically for this reason.