In: Finance
Stock prices are:
a. set by the company issuing the stock.
b. set by the central bank.
c. determined by market transactions.
d. unrelated to the value of the company issuing the stock
Answer is c. determined by market transactions.
Stock prices are determined by the economics of demand and supply which is related to market transactions. Higher the demand of stock by investors, higher will be its price in the market. Lower demand will be marked by lower prices.
a is incorrect, since issuer of common stock, does not set the prices of stock. Has this been the case, it would have been a severe case of conflict of interest, where companies would have artificially inflated their share prices.
c is incorrect, since stock market transactions are out of the ambit of central bank regulations. stock markets are governed by SEC.
d is incorrect since stock price is related to the value of company issuing the stock. Higher the value of a company - may be by virtue of its business profile, competitive position, financial strength, is related to stock price. Better the company, higher will be the value of that company's stock.