From Traderpedia

Definition: An intermingling of buyers and sellers with the intent of executing transactions

The financial markets can be divided into different categories:

• Capital markets consist of:
  • Stock markets, which facilitates equity investment and buying and selling of shares.
  • Bond markets, which provide financing through the issue of debt contracts and the buying and selling of bonds and debentures.
• Money markets, which provide short term debt financing and investment.
• Derivatives markets, which provide instruments for handling of financial risks.
• Futures markets, which provide standardised contracts for trading assets at some forward date; see also forward market.
• Insurance markets, which facilitates handling of various risks.
• Foreign exchange markets.

These markets can be either primary markets or aftermarkets or secondary markets. Newly formed (issued) securities are bought or sold in primary markets. Secondary markets allow owners of the security or the product of securities to buy or sell the same.

There are various different types of orders that can be placed in the markets and a brief definition of some of these can be found in Order Types.