In this Quarterly Bulletin statistical tables showing the assets and liabilities of finance companies are launched. This note introduces these companies and highlights key dimensions of their activities.Finance companies obtain funds in various forms with the objective of lending or investing these funds in the form of instalment sale credit, mortgage loans and other loans. The harnessing of surplus funds from savers and the disbursement of such funds to borrowers is the core business of finance companies. As the financial system became broader, some domestic finance companies have increasingly become important lenders, especially to households.