What are Stocks? Exploring Basic Terms in Stock Trading
1. What is the Stock Market?
The stock market is a valuable and tradable financial instrument. Common types of securities in the market include stocks, bonds, derivative securities, and more.
Key Features of Securities:
- Securities are easily exchangeable assets traded on the stock market.
In Vietnam, the stock market is commonly associated with three main types: Equity securities, Debt securities, and Derivative securities. Among them:
+ Equity securities: Equity securities represent ownership rights of shareholders in an organization (company, partnership, or trust fund), implemented in the form of capital contribution shares, including common and preferred shares. Shareholders holding equity securities will benefit from dividends from business operations or profits when selling securities.
+ Debt securities: A debt security reflects the borrowed amount that must be repaid, with terms specifying the scale of the loan, interest rates, and the maturity or extension date.
Debt securities include government and corporate bonds, certificates of deposit, mortgage-backed securities, serving as secured debt with a contract specifying the amount of the loan, interest rates, and the maturity date within a certain period. At the end of the loan term, debt securities are repurchased by the issuer at the end of the period. Owning debt securities, the owner may receive interest payments, repay the principal steadily (regardless of the issuer's activities), along with any rights based on the contract.
+ Derivative securities:
Derivatives are financial instruments priced based on a specific asset or asset group (such as stocks or commodities). Derivative tools are commonly used by individuals and organizations to minimize risks, but they can also be employed by investors to generate profits.
Securities are publicly listed on stock exchanges. The stock market is a place where you can buy, sell, and trade securities on any business day. Besides being called the stock market, this place can also be known as a securities exchange. The stock market plays a crucial role in economic development as it enables companies to quickly access capital from various investors.
The stock market is designed to primarily meet the goal of providing capital for companies to expand their businesses. If a company issues one million shares on the stock exchange at $10 per share, the company will raise $10 million to develop its business. By issuing shares on the stock exchange, the company will obtain the necessary capital to expand its business instead of borrowing from banks to avoid debts and high-interest payments.
The stock market is divided into two types: primary market and secondary market. Among them:
+ Primary Market: Securities are purchased during the initial public offering (IPO) from the issuing organization.
+ Secondary Market: Where securities are bought and sold after the initial primary issuance among investors.
- Learn more: What are options
3. Commonly Used Securities Terminology
To gain a better understanding of securities, you need to grasp some commonly used terms in the securities market, such as:
- Securities Investment: An entity creates securities and sells them to raise capital, known as the issuing organization. Those who buy securities are called investors.
- Stock Code: The stock code is the trading code of listed joint-stock companies or fund certificates listed on the exchange.
- Profit in Securities Investment: Profit in securities investment comes from the price difference (between buying and selling prices) and dividends (in cash or stock).
Additionally, you can refer to some commonly used terms when participating in the stock market in the table below.
4. Why Do Many People Invest in Securities?
+) The stock market meets investors' demand for opportunities to buy stocks and profit from developing companies. Some types of stocks pay regular dividends, while others may benefit from selling them at a higher price than the initial purchase. What is profit in securities investment will be explained in our upcoming articles.
+) Unlike real estate investment, playing the stock market is easy to buy and also easy to sell.
5. Risks in Securities Investment
The downside of stock investment is its susceptibility to risks. When stock prices drop to zero, you'll incur a total loss of your investment. If a securities firm goes bankrupt, stock investors will be paid after bondholders. If you seek profit assurance, sticking to bonds is advisable, while for long-term companionship, stocks are the optimal choice.
- Learn more: Securities companies
When stock prices drop by more than 10 percent, it's known as a stock market adjustment. A sudden and significant drop in stock prices in a day signifies a stock market crash. If stock prices decrease by 20 percent or more, it's called a bear market, indicating a continuous decline in stock prices. This condition typically lasts around 18 months. In contrast, a rising market is referred to as a bull market, demonstrating a steady increase in stock prices with the belief that the upward trend will continue.
Investing in stocks is like riding a roller coaster that's hard to control. Therefore, if you intend to invest in stocks, careful consideration is advised. Besides the concept of what stocks are, readers who want more knowledge in the economic field can explore fundamental specialized terms such as what is a stock, what is a share, what is a bond through detailed and clear articles provided by Mytour.
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