The stock market is a complex financial system that facilitates the buying and selling of equities (shares of publicly-traded companies) by traders and investors. It provides liquidity to the markets and allows people to buy and sell shares of stock at current or predetermined prices. An important concept to understand is that the stock market is composed of two main exchanges: the primary market (where companies are listed to trade their shares), and the secondary market (where the buying and selling of already existing shares occur). Prices can be affected by macroeconomic, corporate and industry specific news, as well as social and political events. Additionally, economic indicators such as GDP, employment and inflation are key to monitoring stock performance. Participation in the stock market involves researching, evaluating and tracking individual stocks to make informed trading decisions.