Our in-depth guide to top companies

If you’re interested in a career working with financial news and analysis, start out with a graduate programme or internship at a Bright Network top 250 company. Here are 5 we think have a lot to offer.

A global corporation specialising in financial information and analytics. One of its divisions is Standard and Poor’s, the well-known credit ratings agency. S&P Global is a US company headquartered in New York. Its UK office is in London, and it has other offices all over the world.

S&P Global offers summer internships in market intelligence, ratings, and Dow Jones indices. Graduate programmes include the Credit Ratings Excellence Development (CREDit) Programme, a three year programme beginning with four weeks in New York.

You can expect a steep learning curve and a lot of responsibility early in your career. As a global company, S&P Global offers many opportunities for travel. See S&P's Global employer profile. 

Japan’s largest bank, MUFG provides consumer, corporate and investment banking. Its investor services arm offers commentary and analysis focusing mostly on the foreign exchange market. MUFG is based in Tokyo and has offices around the world. Its UK branches are in London and Birmingham.

MUFG offers a Global Analyst Programme for recent graduates, designed to provide a strong foundation in business and finance. The programme begins with a formal training programme and 1-2 years learning on the job, and ends with a 3 week boot camp in Japan. It’s designed primarily for people with a business-related degree.

At MUFG you can expect to work with market-leading professionals, and also enjoy something of a family atmosphere. Departments tend to be friendly and close-knit. See MUFG's employer profile.

One of the world’s oldest and largest stock exchanges. Its information services division supplies real time prices and trading data. The London Stock Exchange Group is headquartered in London, and has offices in several other countries including the USA, Italy and the UAE.

LSEG offers graduate programmes in both business and technology, which prepare you for a leadership role. You’ll complete 3 distinct 6-month rotations, getting a broad understanding of the business. Some rotations may be overseas.

The 9 week summer internships are tasters of the graduate programmes. They offer a chance to show what you can do and be considered for a spot the following year.

As a central part of the London financial markets, an LSEG position will look fantastic on your CV and provide you with contacts you can use throughout your career. It’s a working environment where your skills are developed and your performance is recognised. See London Stock Exchange Group's employer profile.

The central bank of the UK, and the second oldest central bank in the world. Its market intelligence division gathers intelligence and analyses information so that the Bank can make informed financial decisions. The Bank of England’s offices are in London.

Unusually, the Bank of England offers a 6-week internship for first year students. It also offers the more traditional penultimate year internships. These run for 8 weeks and focus on collecting and analysing data.

The 2-year graduate programme is open to all degree disciplines. It focuses on developing the skills you need to become an expert analyst. You’ll have a chance to choose the area of work that interests you the most.

The Bank of England’s goal isn’t to make money – it’s to provide the best analysis to help make decisions for the country’s economy. Although you’re in the financial realm, you have some of the satisfaction you might find working at a non-profit organisation. See Bank of England's employer profile.

Admiral Group is an insurance company, the parent of Admiral Insurance, Confused.com, Elephant and several other brands. Confused.com offers price comparison on everything from car insurance to business broadband. Admiral Group is based in Wales, with its head office in Cardiff. It also operates in several other countries.

Admiral was named 6th best big company to work for by the Sunday Times in 2016, and pops up on this kind of list incredibly often. There’s even an official company organisation called the Ministry of Fun. It organises celebrations, events and entertainment, and is dedicated to making sure everyone at the company has a good time. Admiral’s philosophy is that people who like what they do, do better.

Admiral runs a popular graduate scheme covering areas like renewals, marketing and business support. Graduates work towards a recognised management qualification. Admiral also offers internships for penultimate year students. See Admiral Group's employer profile.