Global Markets Overview
Financial markets are grouped by the kind of instrument that changes hands. Each asset class below has its own venues, trading hours, participants and vocabulary. These pages describe how they work; they do not forecast prices.
Asset classes
- StocksA stock, or share, represents a fractional ownership stake in a company. Buying a share gives the holder a proportional claim on the company's assets and future earnings, and in most cases a vote at shareholder meetings. Companies first sell shares to the public through an initial public offering, after which the shares trade between investors on regulated exchanges or through licensed brokers. Prices move continuously while a market is open, reflecting company results, industry trends, interest rates and broader economic data as they are published.
- ForexForeign exchange, or forex, is the market in which one currency is exchanged for another. It is decentralised: rather than a single exchange, trading takes place electronically between banks, brokers and other participants around the world. Currencies are always quoted in pairs, since buying one currency means simultaneously selling another. The forex market operates nearly continuously on business days as trading passes between financial centres in Asia, Europe and the Americas, making it one of the largest and most continuously active markets described on this site.
- CommoditiesA commodity is a basic physical good that is largely interchangeable with other units of the same good, such as a barrel of crude oil or a bushel of wheat. Commodities are typically traded through standardised futures contracts on organised exchanges rather than as physical goods changing hands directly between traders. They are commonly grouped into energy, metals and agricultural categories, each with its own supply chains, seasonal patterns and set of participants ranging from producers and consumers to financial investors.
- CryptoCrypto assets are digital assets recorded on a blockchain, a distributed and cryptographically secured ledger maintained across a network of computers rather than by a single central authority. Bitcoin, launched in 2009, was the first widely adopted cryptocurrency; thousands of other tokens have followed, with varying designs and purposes. Crypto assets trade nearly around the clock on online exchanges, and their legal treatment, tax handling and regulatory oversight differ significantly from one country to another.
- IndicesA market index tracks the combined performance of a defined group of securities, such as the largest companies listed on a given exchange, using a set methodology to weight each constituent. Indices are widely used as benchmarks for market performance and as the basis for index funds and derivatives, but an index itself cannot be bought or sold directly; investors gain exposure to it through funds, futures or options that track it.
How to use these pages
Each asset-class page opens with what the instrument is, then covers where and when it trades, who the main participants are, and the terms you will meet in official releases and market commentary. Regional detail lives on the geography page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a stock and a share?
In everyday use the terms are interchangeable: a share is one unit of stock, and 'stock' refers to ownership in a company generally.
What are forex trading sessions?
Forex trading sessions are the overlapping business hours of major financial centres, commonly grouped into Sydney, Tokyo, London and New York, during which currency trading activity is concentrated.
What is the difference between a futures contract and buying a commodity directly?
A futures contract is a standardised agreement to exchange a commodity at a future date and price, traded on an exchange, rather than an immediate purchase of the physical good itself.
What is a blockchain?
A blockchain is a shared digital ledger that records transactions across a network of computers, updated and verified through a defined technical process rather than by a single central authority.
What is a stock index?
A stock index is a calculated number representing the combined performance of a defined group of shares, used as a reference for describing overall market movement.