Research Journal of Economics & Business Studies - RJEBS - The ...
Research Journal of Economics & Business Studies - RJEBS - The ...
Research Journal of Economics & Business Studies - RJEBS - The ...
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<strong>The</strong> capital market <strong>of</strong> a country can be considered as one <strong>of</strong> the leading indicators in determining the<br />
growth <strong>of</strong> its economy. As mentioned by C.Rangarajan, Ex Governor, RBI(1998), “<strong>The</strong> growth<br />
process <strong>of</strong> any economy depends on the functioning <strong>of</strong> financial markets which also helps to augment<br />
its Capital formation. According to Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Hicks, the industrial Revolution in England was ignited<br />
more by the presence <strong>of</strong> liquid financial market than the technological investment”. He writes<br />
interestingly-<br />
What happened in the Industrial Revolution ...is that the<br />
Range <strong>of</strong> fixed capital goods that were used in production...<br />
Began noticeably to increase.... But fixed capital is sunk; it is<br />
embodied in a particular form, from which it can only gradually<br />
...be released. In order that people should be willing ...to sink<br />
large amounts <strong>of</strong> capital ... it is the availability <strong>of</strong> liquid funds<br />
which is crucial. This condition was satisfied in England ...by<br />
the first half <strong>of</strong> the eighteenth century ...<br />
<strong>The</strong> liquid asset was there, as it would not have been even a few years earlier<br />
Thus, liquidity is a very important component <strong>of</strong> Financial Market and plays a very vital role in the<br />
long run economic development <strong>of</strong> any country as it helps not only in promoting the savings <strong>of</strong> the<br />
economy but also to adopt an effective channel to transmit various financial policies by creating<br />
liquidity in the market. <strong>The</strong>refore Financial System <strong>of</strong> any country should be well developed,<br />
competitive, efficient and integrated to face all shocks<br />
2. HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF FINANCIAL MARKETS<br />
<strong>The</strong> financial system and infrastructure <strong>of</strong> any country at any time can be considered as the result <strong>of</strong> its<br />
own peculiar historical evolution. This evolution is resulted by continuous interaction between all the<br />
participants existing in the system and public policy interventions. <strong>The</strong> evolution <strong>of</strong> Indian financial<br />
markets and the regulatory system has also followed a similar path. India began with the central bank,<br />
Reserve Bank <strong>of</strong> India (RBI), as the banking sector regulator, and the Ministry <strong>of</strong> Finance as the<br />
regulator for all other financial sectors. Today, most financial service providers and their regulatory<br />
agencies exist. <strong>The</strong> role <strong>of</strong> regulators has evolved over time from that <strong>of</strong> an instrument for planned<br />
development in the initial stage to that <strong>of</strong> a referee <strong>of</strong> a relatively more modern and complex financial<br />
sector at present. Over this period, a variety <strong>of</strong> financial sector reform measures have been undertaken<br />
in India, with many important successes. An important feature <strong>of</strong> these reforms has been the attempt <strong>of</strong><br />
the authorities to align the regulatory framework with international best practices, keeping in view the<br />
needs <strong>of</strong> the country and domestic factors. <strong>The</strong>se reforms can be broadly classified as steps taken<br />
towards:<br />
1 Liberalizing the overall macroeconomic and regulatory environment within which<br />
financial sector institutions function.<br />
2 Strengthening the institutions and improving their efficiency and competitiveness.<br />
3 Establishing and strengthening the regulatory framework and institutions for overseeing the<br />
financial system.<br />
3 INDIAN FINANCIAL MARKETS & ITS COMPOSITION<br />
<strong>The</strong> history <strong>of</strong> Indian capital markets spans back 200 years, around the end <strong>of</strong> the 18th century. It was<br />
at this time that India was under the rule <strong>of</strong> the East India Company. <strong>The</strong> capital market <strong>of</strong> India<br />
initially developed around Mumbai; with around 200 to 250 securities brokers participating in active<br />
trade during the second half <strong>of</strong> the 19th century.<br />
www.theinternationaljournal.org > <strong>RJEBS</strong>: Volume: 02, Number: 09, July-2013 Page 2