The stock market, often portrayed as a world of high stakes and fast fortunes, is in reality a structured financial system where companies raise capital and investors trade ownership in those companies. In India, the primary hubs for such activity are the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE). When an investor buys a share, they are purchasing a small slice of ownership in that company. As the company grows and earns profits, the value of that ownership can rise, and in some cases, shareholders may receive dividends, which are a portion of the company’s earnings. Broadly speaking, there are two distinct ways people participate in the market: investing and trading. Investing is a long-term approach, often stretching over years or decades. It focuses on building wealth steadily by holding stocks, mutual funds, or exchange-traded funds, and relies heavily on the underlying strength and future potential of a business. Trading, by contrast, is a short-term activi...