The financial markets can be divided into different
subtypes:
Capital markets
which consist of:
Stock markets, which provide financing through the
issuance of shares or common stock, and enable the
subsequent trading thereof.
Bond markets, which provide financing through the
issuance of Bonds, and enable the subsequent trading
thereof.
Commodity markets,
which facilitate the trading of commodities.
Money markets,
which provide short term debt financing and investment.
Derivatives
markets, which provide instruments for
the management of financial risk.
Futures markets, which provide standardised forward
contracts for trading products at some future
date.
Insurance markets,
which facilitate the redistribution of various risks.
Foreign exchange markets,
which facilitate the trading of foreign exchange.
The capital markets consist of primary
markets and secondary markets. Newly formed (issued)
securities are bought or sold in primary markets.
Secondary markets allow investors to sell securities
that they hold or buy existing securities.