Newark has over
300 types of businesses. These include
1,800 retail, 540 wholesale establishments,
eight major bank headquarters (including
those of New Jersey's three largest
banks), and twelve savings and loan
association headquarters. Deposits
in Newark-based banks are over
$20
billion.
Newark is the third-largest
insurance center in United States,
after
New York City and
Hartford.
Prudential Insurance
and
Mutual Benefit
Companies originated in Newark.
The former, the largest insurance
company in the world, is still headquartered
in Newark. Many other companies
are headquartered in the city, including
International
Discount Telecommunications,
Public Service
Electric and Gas (PSE&G),
Verizon,
and
Horizon Blue Cross
Blue Shield of New Jersey.
Transportation is
a growing business in Newark, accounting
for 24,000 jobs in 1996. The service
industry is also growing rapidly,
as many such jobs are replacing
those in the manufacturing industry,
once Newark's primary economy.
Though Newark is
not the industrial colossus of the
past, the city does have a considerable
amount of industry. The southern
portion of the Ironbound, also known
as the Industrial Meadowlands, has
seen many factories built since
World War II, including a large
brewery.