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.