The stock market is a collection of markets and exchanges where activities of buying, selling, and issuing shares of publicly-held companies take place. It serves as a platform for investors to trade equity securities and is a key component of a country’s economy. The stock market facilitates price discovery, enabling buyers and sellers to agree on the price of stocks, which are shares representing ownership in a company. It can be divided into primary and secondary markets. The primary market is where new stock issues are sold to investors, while the secondary market is where existing shares are traded among investors. The performance of the stock market is often used as an indicator of the overall economic health of a country. Factors that can influence the stock market include economic indicators, corporate earnings, and market sentiment. Investors include individual retail investors, institutional investors, and hedge funds.
Carnival's stock saw a significant drop, decreasing by 7.7% to close at $24.07, after an intraday low of $23.42. Stocks began the day at $25.59, fueling investor caution as over…