Understanding Market Data

In this series of articles I will go thorugh various market data elements that are used financial services and banking systems (trading, pricing and analytics).

Before we get into market data, we need to understand how finanical instruments are organized with identifiers. We usually call it as Reference Data. Reference Data contains various financial instruments, their ids, entities behind them and all other information that is needed by the firm. It is not necessary that all firms will maintain all instruments and all details. Based on the business nature of the firm, they maintain only required details of the financial instruments.

First, let us understand how various financial instruments are named and organised. The following articles give you some insight into it.

• Understanding Security Identifiers – Widely used Identifiers and how they formed.
• Understanding Ticker Symbols – How ticker symbols are formed

In the following articles, I have explained market data related to different instruments and markets.

(Coming soon)

Common Market Data – Banks, Fixed Income, Derivative Markets and others

The following item are used across the board either directoy or indirectly.

• Interest Rates
  • Yield Cureve – Terasury Rates
  • Zero Coupon Rates
• Exchange Rates
• Equity Markets – Equities, Listed Options & Futures
  • Stock Prices (closing prices)
  • Listed Options
  • Listed Futures
• Fixed Income Instruments
  • Bonds, Bond Futures and Options
• Listed Options & Futures
• Credit Derivatives
  • Loan Prices
  • CDS Spreads