
Chapter 3
Equity markets
E
quity markets are diverse. There are the exchanges which deal
with listed shares of the largest companies in the world and
exchanges, sometimes the same ones, dealing with fledgling com-
panies. There are also unlisted securities.
Equity markets are high profile. The news bulletins on television and
radio often refer to the rise or fall of the local index on the stock
market. Many private investors start their portfolios with equity
shares, sometimes from incentive schemes operated by their employ-
ers or as a result of a government privatizing a hitherto-nationalized
industry. The policy of the Conservative government in the ...