Which entity primarily holds individual savings and invests its assets in corporate stock, bonds, and home mortgages?

The correct response identifies life insurance companies as the primary entities that hold individual savings and invest those assets in a variety of financial instruments, including corporate stock, bonds, and home mortgages. Life insurance companies collect premiums from their policyholders, creating a pool of funds that they can invest to ensure they can meet future policyholder claims while also generating returns.

These companies have a long-term investment horizon, which aligns well with investing in more stable assets like bonds and mortgages, as well as seeking growth through corporate stock investments. The need to manage assets carefully is crucial, as insurance companies must maintain sufficient liquidity to pay out claims while also delivering value to their policyholders through returns on investment.

In contrast, hedge funds typically focus on high-risk, high-reward strategies and do not primarily serve as repositories for individual savings. Investment banks concentrate on capital raising, M&A advisory, and underwriting services rather than directly holding individual savings for investment. Pension funds, while also holding individual savings and investing for long-term benefits, are specifically aimed at managing retirement benefits rather than insurance products. Therefore, life insurance companies best fit the description provided in the question.