Primary Market

What is Primary Market?

The primary market, also known as the new issue market, is a vital component of the financial system where securities such as stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments are issued for the first time by corporations, governments, or other entities to raise capital. In essence, it is the marketplace where these entities directly interact with investors to sell newly created securities.

Types of Primary Market

Initial Public Offering (IPO): This is perhaps the most well-known type of primary market transaction. When a privately held company decides to go public by offering its shares to the general public for the first time, it conducts an IPO. Investors buy these shares directly from the company, and the proceeds are used to fund the company's growth or pay off debt.

Rights Issue: In a rights issue, existing shareholders are given the opportunity to purchase additional shares at a discounted price. This allows the company to raise additional capital without involving external investors.

Private Placement: In a private placement, securities are sold directly to a select group of institutional investors or high-net-worth individuals rather than to the general public. This method is often chosen for its efficiency and discretion.

Preferential Allotment: This type of offering is usually made to a specific group of investors, such as existing shareholders or strategic investors, at a predetermined price. It is commonly used to infuse capital into the company without diluting the ownership of existing shareholders significantly.

Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP): A QIP is a method for listed companies in India to raise capital by issuing securities (usually equity shares) to qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) without the need for an IPO. This enables companies to access funds quickly and efficiently from institutional investors.

Bonus Issue: A bonus issue involves issuing or gifting additional shares to existing shareholders free of cost, in proportion to their current shareholdings. This doesn't raise new capital but enhances liquidity and can improve the attractiveness of the company's stock.

Functions of Primary Market

1. New Issue Offer: The primary function of the primary market is to facilitate the issuance of new securities. Companies, governments, and other entities raise capital by selling their securities to investors, enabling them to fund their operations, expansion, or various projects.

2. Underwriting Services: To ensure the success of an offering, entities often seek the assistance of underwriters. These financial institutions or investment banks commit to purchasing the offered securities at a specified price, thereby assuming the risk of any unsold securities. This provides issuers with a degree of financial security during the offering process.

3. Distribution of New Issue: The primary market serves as the platform for distributing newly issued securities to investors. This process includes setting the issue price, allotting shares to investors, and ensuring that all regulatory requirements are met.

Primary Market vs. Secondary Market

Characteristic	Primary Market	Secondary Market
Purpose	To raise capital for the issuer.	To provide liquidity for investors.
Participants	Issuers, investors, underwriters.	Investors and dealers
Liquidity	Low	High
Price	Determined by the issuer and the underwriters.	Determined by supply and demand in the secondary market.
Examples	IPOs, secondary offerings, private placements, rights offerings.	Buying and selling shares of stock on a stock exchange, buying and selling bonds on a bond market.