Sunday, October 15, 2006

Securities basics

The definition of 'Securities' as per the Securities Contracts Regulation Act (SCRA), 1956, includes instruments such as shares, bonds, scrips, stocks or other marketable securities of similar nature in or of any incorporate
company or body corporate, government securities, derivatives of securities, units of collective investment scheme, interest and rights in securities, security receipt or any other instruments so declared by the Central Government. 
  
Securities Markets is a place where buyers and sellers of securities can enter into transactions to purchase and sell shares, bonds, debentures etc. Further, it performs an important role of enabling corporates, entrepreneurs
to raise resources for their companies and business ventures through public issues.
 
Transfer of resources from those having idle resources (investors) to others who have a need for them (corporates) is most efficiently achieved through the securities market. Stated formally, securities markets provide channels for reallocation of savings to investments and entrepreneurship. Savings are linked to investments by a variety of intermediaries, through a range of financial products, called 'Securities'.
 
The desirability of conditions of perfect competition in the securities market makes the role of the Regulator extremely important. The regulator ensures that the market participants behave in a desired manner so that securities market continues to  be a major source of finance for corporate and government and the interest of investors are protected. 
  
The responsibility for regulating the securities market is shared by Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Department of Company Affairs (DCA), Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Securities and Exchange Board of
India (SEBI).
 
 
Extracted from the study material provided by NSE, India

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