Glossary
Stock Market
Markets
The stock market is the network of exchanges and venues where shares in publicly listed companies are issued and traded.
Prices are set continuously by supply and demand during exchange hours, with pre-market and after-hours sessions carrying thinner liquidity. Indices such as the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Industrial Average summarise the performance of a defined basket of listings.
Traders access equities through shares, ETFs, futures, options or CFDs, each with different cost, leverage and ownership characteristics.