Capital Markets

INTRODUCTION

Capital Markets are markets where long-term instruments are traded e.g. equities, preference shares, debentures etc.

A good example of a Capital Market is the Stock Exchange.

The Rwanda Stock Exchange was incorporated as a limited company 7 October 2005

  MAIN FUNCTIONS

The main functions of the Stock Exchange are:

PRIMARY MARKET  –  used to raise new finance/issue new securities

SECONDARY MARKET  –  trade in second-hand securities.  This is where most of the dayto-day activity takes place.

COMPANY FLOTATION

SHARE SWAP         –  securities used as consideration in takeover of other companies

  CAPITAL PROVIDERS

The main providers of capital are:

  • Pension Funds
  • Insurance Companies
  • Investment Trusts
  • Unit Trusts
  • Other Financial Institutions
  • Overseas Investors
  • Venture Capital Organisations
  • Individuals

 

  COMPANY FLOTATION

There are many reasons why a company may be floated on the Stock Market (“Going Public”).  Chief among these is access to capital.

ADVANTAGES – SHAREHOLDERS

    • Cash for some shares.
    • Wider market for remaining shares.
    • Shares perceived as less risky.
    • Ready share price available.

 

ADVANTAGES – COMPANY

    • Possibility of new funds.
    • Better credit-standing.
    • Ability to “swap shares” on a takeover.
    • Ability to issue shares more easily at a later date.
    • Reduced risk & greater marketability leads to lower cost of capital.
    • Extra status.
    • Possibility of share options for top employees.

 

DISADVANTAGES

    • Costs can be quite high.
    • Compliance with stringent regulations.
    • Dilution of control.
    • Additional administration.
    • Extra scrutiny of profitability/performance.

 

   EFFICIENT MARKETS

A market is generally regarded as efficient if the following are present:

Prices immediately reflect all relevant available information

No individual investor dominates the market

Transaction costs are not too high to discourage trading

Are the markets efficient?   The Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) has been developed to test different levels of efficiency.   [Note:  Hypothesis is defined as a supposition put forward as a basis for reasoning or investigation.]

The Efficient Market Hypothesis tests three degrees of efficiency

  • Weak Form Efficiency

Prices reflect the information in past stock prices.

 Semi-strong Form Efficiency

Prices reflect past price information

Plus

All publicly available information.

   Strong Form Efficiency

Prices reflect past price information

Plus

All publicly available information

Plus

Inside information

Most of the research suggests that capital markets are semi-strong-form efficient but not quite strong-form efficient.

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