If a person owns the stock or share of a particular company, it implies that the person has contributed towards the company’s capital base. Any company, big or small, needs funds or capital to function. Thus, companies raise money by listing their shares on a stock exchange.
Stocks or shares can be primarily of two types. They can be debts, or they can be equities. When a person is a debtor, that means that he will get a fixed amount of interest at regular time intervals. However, if someone holds equity, it means that there is no guarantee of whether they will make a profit or not. Also, the amount of profit or loss will not be fixed but will vary depending on how well the company functions.
Owning and trading shares can be a highly profitable career. In the digital age, buying and selling stocks has become all the more convenient. If a person wants to trade in the UK, here is the list of best trading apps in the UK.
More About The Stock Market
The share market benefits both the shareholders and the ones who sell the shares. A company gets the money it needs to run its regular business or expand. A shareholder benefits when he gains money either in the form of a dividend or in the form of a profit. Trading is another way of gaining money where a person can sell his share for a higher price than the price for which he bought it.
The value of a stock depends on the demand and supply of a particular stock. Thus, if some company’s shares are in great demand, their price will rise, and if the demand falls or the supply rises, the price will fall.
7 Things That Affect The Stock Market
The Federal Rates Of Interest
The central or federal bank of a country announces federal interest rates. All the lending institutions in the country price their loans based on federal rates. Hence, if the interest rates have been raised, that implies that people will not be very keen to take loans. Hence they have more money in their hands. This money can be spent on buying shares.
Higher interest rates means that loans will be costly for business organisations as well; so they will want to raise funds from the market. Hence, the supply of shares will go up, which, in turn, may decrease the share price.
The Rate Of Inflation In A Country
Inflation figures reflect the prevailing prices in a country. If inflation is high, goods become more costly and vice versa. Thus if the rate of inflation rises, it means that the general public has less disposable income, which they can invest in buying stocks of a company. In this case, the demand for shares falls, and thus, the price falls. The opposite happens if the rate of inflation in a country falls.
The Political Headwinds
Political affairs have a huge impact on the stock market. For instance, if a country declares war, the value of shares of the companies located in the warring country falls. This is because people presume that war will negatively affect a country’s economic situation. Hence, if the economy is not functioning well, business expansion or profits are unlikely, so the value of the business and its stocks decreases.
Again, if a country elects a government that encourages business expansion, then the value of businesses located in that country will increase.
Speculative Activities
The value of a share is affected by speculative activities as well. At times a company might want to project that they are making huge profits. In that case, it can announce new ventures or over-publicise its brands. Hence, the public might think that the company will declare huge dividends or make huge profits in the near future. Thus, the demand for the shares of an organisation that encourages speculative activities might increase.
The Exchange Rates
The exchange rate is the value of one currency in comparison to another currency, like the value of a dollar versus a pound. If the value of a country’s currency increases, people presume that companies in that country will also perform well and vice versa. And thus, the exchange rate also affects an organisation’s stocks’ values.
Status Of A Business Organisation
The status of a business organisation affects the value of its shares. If an organisation performs well, then its value increases. For instance, if a business reports profits, improves its turnover, and acquires rival companies, it implies that the business is performing well. Hence people will want to invest in a business that reports signs of growth.
On the other hand, if a manufacturing business manufactures faulty or below-standard products, then the value of that entity will go down. Unlike speculative activity, which tries to mislead the public, the actual status of a business is the right indicator of an organisation’s health and growth prospects.
Effect Of Natural Disasters
Natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, pandemics etc., also affect business growth. When a country has been hit by a flood or a hurricane, it is expected that businesses will not be able to perform to their optimum capacity. Hence, if a country has been impacted by a natural calamity, the businesses located in that country are likely to be seen as non-profitable.
Conclusion
Investing in a business can reap huge profits, but it can also result in a loss. A new investor should learn about the basics of the stock market before investing. Making a profit by investing in shares is based on predictive analysis. The better the ability of an investor to predict the headwinds, the higher the chances of registering a profit.
If a person is dedicated, loves to research and can take prompt actions, he can make a lot of money by investing in a business. A good investor is someone who can spot speculative activities, and such people make a fortune by investing in fruitful business ventures.
