Overview

What is meant by a Stock Exchange?

The Securities Contract (Regulation) Act, 1956 [SCRA] defines ‘Stock Exchange’ as any body of individuals, whether incorporated or not, constituted for the purpose of assisting, regulating or controlling the business of buying, selling or dealing in securities. Stock exchange could be a regional stock exchange whose area of operation/jurisdiction is specified at the time of its recognition or national exchanges, which are permitted to have nationwide trading since inception. NSE was incorporated as a national stock exchange.

What does Security Mean?

An instrument representing ownership (stocks), a debt agreement (bonds) or the rights to ownership (derivatives) it is essentially a contract that can be assigned a value and traded. Examples of a security include a note, stock, preferred share, bond, debenture, option, future, swap, right, warrant, or virtually any other financial asset.

Who regulates the Securities Market?

The responsibility for regulating the securities market is shared by Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Department of Company Affairs (DCA), Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Who are the participants in the Securities Market?

The securities market essentially has three categories of participants, namely, the issuers of securities, investors in securities and the intermediaries, such as merchant bankers, brokers etc. While the corporates and government raise resources from the securities market to meet their obligations, it is households that invest their savings in the securities market.

What is an 'Equity'/Share?

Total equity capital of a company is divided into equal units of small denominations, each called a share. For example, in a company the total equity capital of Rs 2,00,00,000 is divided into 20,00,000 units of Rs 10 each. Each such unit of Rs 10 is called a Share. Thus, the company then is said to have 20, 00,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each. The holders of such shares are members of the company and have voting rights.

What is a Derivative?

Derivative is a product whose value is derived from the value of one or more basic variables, called underlying. The underlying asset can be equity, index, foreign exchange (forex), commodity or any other asset.

Derivative products initially emerged as hedging devices against fluctuations in commodity prices and commodity-linked derivatives remained the sole form of such products for almost three hundred years.The financial derivatives came into spotlight in post-1970 period due to growing instability in the financial markets. However, since their emergence, these products have become very popular and by 1990s, they accounted for about two-thirds of the total transactions in derivative products.

What are Currency Derivatives?

A currency derivative is a contract between the seller and the buyer, whose value is to be derived from the underlying asset, the currency amount. A derivative based on currency exchange rates is a future contract which stipulates the rate at which a given currency can be exchanged for another currency as at a future date. Currency futures are standardised foreign exchange contracts traded on approved stock exchanges to buy or sell one currency against another on a specified date in the future at a specified price (exchange rate).

What is a Commodity Market?

Commodity market is an organized traders' exchange in which standardized, graded products are bought and sold. Commodity markets are markets where raw or primary products are exchanged. These raw commodities are traded on regulated commodities exchanges, in which they are bought and sold in standardized contracts.Commodity market is an organized traders' exchange in which standardized, graded products are bought and sold. Commodity markets are markets where raw or primary products are exchanged. These raw commodities are traded on regulated commodities exchanges, in which they are bought and sold in standardized contracts.

What is a Mutual Fund?

A Mutual Fund is a body corporate registered with SEBI (Securities Exchange Board of India) that pools money from individuals/corporate investors and invests the same in a variety of different financial instruments or securities such as equity shares, Government securities, Bonds, debentures etc. Mutual funds can thus be considered as financial intermediaries in the investment business that collect funds from the public and invest on behalf of the investors. Mutual funds issue units to the investors. The appreciation of the portfolio or securities in which the mutual fund has invested the money leads to an appreciation in the value of the units held by investors.

The investment objectives outlined by a Mutual Fund in its prospectus are binding on the Mutual Fund scheme. The investment objectives specify the class of securities a Mutual Fund can invest in. Mutual Funds invest in various asset classes like equity, bonds, debentures, commercial paper and government securities. The schemes offered by mutual funds vary from fund to fund. Some are pure equity schemes; others are a mix of equity and bonds. Investors are also given the option of getting dividends, which are declared periodically by the mutual fund, or to participate only in the capital appreciation of the scheme.

What is a 'Debt Instrument'?

A debt instrument represents a contract whereby one party lends money to another on pre-determined terms with regards to rate and periodicity of interest, repayment of principal amount by the borrower to the lender.

In the Indian securities markets, the term ‘bond’ is used for debt instruments issued by the Central and State governments and public sector organizations and the term ‘debenture’ is used for instrument issued by private corporate sector.

What is an Index?

An Index shows how a specified portfolio of share prices is moving in order to give an indication of market trends. It is a basket of securities and the average price movement of the basket of securities indicates the index movement, whether upwards or downwards.

What is Dematerialization?

It is advisable to conduct transactions through an intermediary. You receive guidance if you are transacting through an intermediary.

• You need to transact through a trading member of a stock exchange if you intend to buy or sell any security on stock exchanges.
• You need to maintain an account with `a depository if you intend to hold securities in electronic / dematerialised form.
• You need to deposit money with a banker to an issue if you are subscribing to public issues.
• old securities in demat form.

Choose a SEBI registered intermediary, as he is accountable for his activities. The list of registered intermediaries is available with exchanges, industry associations etc.

What is a Depository?

A depository is like a bank wherein the deposits are securities (viz. shares, debentures, bonds, government securities, units etc.) in electronic form.

Is it necessary to transact through an intermediary?

It is advisable to conduct transactions through an intermediary. You receive guidance if you are transacting through an intermediary.You need to transact through a trading member of a stock exchange if you intend to buy or sell any security on stock exchanges. You need to maintain an account with a depository if you intend to hYou need to deposit money with a banker to an issue if you are subscribing to public issues.old securities in demat form.Choose a SEBI registered intermediary, as he is accountable for his activities. The list of registered intermediaries is available with exchanges, industry associations etc.