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Securities industry drives economy.

The U.S. securities industry, which includes finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing, is an economic "powerhouse that continues to strengthen the U.S. economy," says Marc Lackritz, president of the Securities Industry Association. This industry contributed 24 percent to the nation's

GDP in 2005, making it the leading contributor to GDP for the past three consecutive years.

The market last year for finance and insurance experienced "explosive" growth of 6.7 percent, up from 1 percent in 2004. Real estate, rental and leasing slowed to 2.5 percent, down from 5.6 percent in 2004. Last year, the securities industry raised $3.2 trillion in capital for American businesses and nearly $14 trillion over the past five years.

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