Published Paper Details:

A stock market is a place in which long term capital is raised by industry and commerce, the government and local authorities and it is regarded as capital market. The money derives from private investors, insurance companies, pension funds and banks and is usually arranged by issuing houses and merchant banks. Stock exchanges are also part of the capital market which provides a market for the shares and loan that represent the capital once it has been raised. Stock market is a place where the securities can be sold and purchased at an agreed price. This paper analyzes the perceptions of investors towards Indian stock markets. The study involves the examination of perception level of respondents towards investments in stock markets and the risk factors involved in stock investments. The study was conducted in Vijayawada city of Andhra Pradesh and the sample size was 126. The study concludes that majority of the respondents were males and their perception levels towards stock markets differ from females. The study further concludes that the awareness levels of respondents towards the risk factors involved in stock market investments is very low.