Q.What is a Stock Exchange? Explain its functions.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →A stock exchange is an organised, regulated secondary market where already-issued securities are traded. It keeps investment liquid, prices securities fairly through continuous dealing, protects investors through regulation, channels scattered savings into industry, and signals the health of the economy.
Meaning of a Stock Exchange
A stock exchange is an organised and regulated market in which securities such as shares, debentures and government bonds that have already been issued are bought and sold. A company raises fresh capital only once, in the primary market; thereafter those securities change hands many times among investors, and the stock exchange is the place where this trading happens. Membership, trading and settlement are governed by the exchange's own rules and by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). This is a core topic of the TS Intermediate 2nd-year Commerce financial-markets unit, whose syllabus is aligned with the wider NCERT/CBSE commerce curriculum.
Functions of a Stock Exchange
- Liquidity and ready marketability — It lets an investor convert securities into cash (and cash into securities) quickly and at a fair price, so money is never locked up permanently in one investment.
- Continuous and fair pricing of securities — Constant buying and selling by many buyers and sellers fixes the price of each security by demand and supply, and the price is published, so investors know the true worth of their holdings at any time.
- Safety of dealings — Trading is confined to listed securities and takes place under the strict rules of the exchange and SEBI, which reduces fraud and protects investors.
- Mobilisation of savings — By offering a safe, liquid outlet, it encourages even small savers to invest, drawing scattered household savings into the market. …
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