The stock market is like a giant marketplace where people buy and sell pieces of companies, called shares or stocks. When you buy a share of a company, you become a part-owner of that company. So, if the company grows and makes more money, the value of your share increases. On the flip side, if the company doesn’t do well, the value of your share can drop.

Companies list their shares on stock exchanges (think of them like organized markets). In India, the two main exchanges are the NSE (National Stock Exchange) and BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange). These exchanges facilitate the buying and selling of stocks.

People invest in the stock market to grow their wealth. Some hold onto shares for years (long-term investing), while others buy and sell quickly (trading) to take advantage of short-term price movements.