What does a global custodian primarily handle?

A global custodian primarily handles the settlement of trades and the safekeeping of assets, which makes this the correct choice. The role of a global custodian includes safeguarding clients’ financial assets, ensuring that these assets are accurately recorded and reflecting the actual ownership. They manage important functions such as clearing and settling trades across various markets, which is crucial for maintaining liquidity and ensuring that transactions are executed in a timely manner.

Additionally, custodians provide various other services that include providing clients with reports on their investments, managing corporate actions, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. By offering these services, global custodians play a vital role in the asset management ecosystem, allowing institutional investors to focus on their core investment activities without worrying about the operational aspects of settlement and safekeeping.

In contrast, the other choices focus on services that are typically not part of a custodian's responsibilities. Creating investment strategies, for example, falls under the purview of asset managers and financial advisers rather than custodians. Investment banking and financial advisory services pertain to transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, which is outside the realm of custodial services. Similarly, real estate asset management is a specialized area focusing on managing properties and real estate investments, which does not align with the primary