Stock Market

A market for ‘stocks’ or shares in companies.
Joint stock companies raise capital by selling shares – a share is a specified portion of the company’s assets.
Share holders pay money to own shares in a company, and the company uses this money to conduct its business.
The shareholders are paid dividends, or a share of the profits made by the company that is distributed according to the number of shares held by each shareholder.
A stock market is the place or mechanism for the buying and selling of such shares.