Stock Market in India: Working and Reforms

A stock (or share) market deals mainly in corporate securities. The securities are chiefly in the form of equity shares and debentures. The function of the stock market is two-fold: (a) to arrange for the raising of new capital (primary market function) and (b) to provide liquidity to existing securities (secondary market function). There are 24 recognized stock exchanges in India, including the Over the Counter Exchange of India (OTCEI) for small and new companies, the old established Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) that was set up as a model exchange to provide nationwide services to investors. At the end of March 2010, 4,977 companies were listed on the BSE, which is the largest exchange in the country. The number of securities available for trading under the equities segment at NSE at the end of April 2010 was 1,872. This book provides a comprehensive account of the working of India's stock market, focusing on reforms introduced during the post-liberalization (1991 onwards) period. It traces recent trends in the secondary market and offers empirical evidence of the level of efficiency and the degree of volatility in the Indian stock market.