How Markets Work
The machinery behind the prices — players, venues, indices and the rules that keep it honest.
Start here
Who actually trades in the market?
Start the first lessonUnit 1 The Players
- Who actually trades in the market?
- What do funds, pensions and hedge funds do?
- Who is always ready to trade with you?
- How can anyone profit when prices fall?
Practice Check · Unit 1 A short check · cannot be failed Start
Unit 2 Where Trading Happens
- Which exchanges run the world's trading?
- How does a company go public?
- Does every trade happen on an exchange?
- What happens after the closing bell?
Practice Check · Unit 2 A short check · cannot be failed Start
Unit 3 Indices & Benchmarks
- Who decides what's in the S&P 500?
- Why do a few giants move the whole index?
- S&P, Dow, Nasdaq — which "market" is on the news?
- What are sectors — and why do they take turns?
Practice Check · Unit 3 A short check · cannot be failed Start
Unit 4 Rules of the Game
- Who keeps markets honest?
- What counts as cheating in markets?
- Why does trading sometimes stop?
- What protects you — and what doesn't?
- How Markets Work checkpoint — the machinery, named
Practice Check · Unit 4 A short check · cannot be failed Start
Last Course exam
One exam, the whole course Unlocks when you have read all 17 lessons
Passing it earns the course certificate. It also counts toward the Investor track (course 2 of 6): pass every course exam in a track to earn its track certificate.