Capital Market

Those in need of funds can borrow from and invest in capital markets that act as a conduit for savings and investments. Banks and investors are standard suppliers, whereas companies, governments, and private persons are the most common sources of money.

There are primary and secondary capital markets. The bond and stock markets are the two most frequent forms of capital markets.

Transactional efficiency is the primary goal of capital markets. The bond and stock marketplaces bring providers and investors together and allow them to trade securities. This article will in-depth detail the capital market. 

What is the Capital Market? 

Different forms of financial instruments may be traded in the capital market, encompassing both the physical and virtual worlds. The stock market, the bond market, and the currency and foreign exchange markets are examples of these venues. Major financial hubs like London, New York, Hong Kong, and Singapore house most of the world’s markets.

Traders and investors make up the supply and demand sides of the capital markets. Households, organisations including charitable organisations, pension funds, retirement funds, non-financial corporations, and life insurance companies that produce surplus income are all sources of suppliers for this market. Home and car buyers, non-financial firms, and governments funding infrastructure investment and operational expenditures are examples of “users” of cash dispersed on capital markets.

Capital Market: Meaning

The primary purpose of the capital markets is to facilitate the sale of financial instruments such as stocks and bonds. Equities are shares of stock in a firm, referred to as “stockholders.” A debt security is an interest-bearing IOU (“I Owe You”, such as a bond.

There are two types of markets: primary and secondary. Primary markets are where new equity stock and bond issuance are sold to investors; secondary markets are where investors may buy and sell existing assets. Modern economies rely on capital markets to transmit money from those who have it to those who need it for economic growth.

Capital Market: Types

Primary Market

An initial public offering (IPO) occurs in the primary capital market when a firm sells new stock or bonds for the first time. Also known as the “new issues market.” An underwriting firm is employed by a company planning to enlist in the primary market to assess the offering and develop a prospectus stating the price and other features of the securities on sale.

Every issue is regulated to a very high standard on the primary market. Before going public, companies must submit financial statements to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). 

When a firm and its investment bankers wish to sell all the available securities quickly, they must focus on advertising the sale to big investors who can acquire more shares at once. Small investors are sometimes prevented from purchasing securities on the primary market. An investor roadshow or dog and pony show are ways investment bankers and business executives can meet with prospective buyers to persuade them of the assets’ worth they are issuing by marketing its sale.

Secondary Market

On the other hand, the secondary market comprises places where already-issued securities are bought and sold between investors under the supervision of a regulatory authority like the SEC. The secondary market is not a place for issuing corporations. Examples of secondary marketplaces include Nasdaq and the NYSE.

The auction and dealer marketplaces of the secondary market are two distinct subcategories. When buyers and sellers gather in a single area, they advertise the prices at which they are willing to purchase and sell their securities. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is one example of this. On the other hand, electronic networks are the primary means of transaction in dealer marketplaces. The majority of small investors use dealer markets.

Conclusion

Companies, as well as people, can borrow from or invest in the capital market. A negotiable financial instrument is not required for all capital market lending and borrowing. The securities and non-securities markets make up this marketplace.

The article noted that the money market has a plethora of securities. Securities are also available on the capital market. The securities market is the name given to the place where securities are exchanged. Financial products that can easily be sold are known as securities, and the securities market encompasses these markets. Both the fresh issue (primary) and stock (secondary) markets of the securities Market are interrelated and interlinked.