{"id":18713,"date":"2026-09-09T23:49:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T06:19:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/?p=18713"},"modified":"2026-09-09T23:49:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T06:19:44","slug":"what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Shares? A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Start Investing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_87 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\"><\/p>\n<\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#What_Is_a_Share\" >What Is a Share?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#How_Do_Shares_Work\" >How Do Shares Work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#Why_Do_Companies_Issue_Shares\" >Why Do Companies Issue Shares?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#What_are_the_Types_of_Shares_Equity_vs_Preference\" >What are the Types of Shares: Equity vs. Preference<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#Equity_Shares\" >Equity Shares<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#Preference_Shares\" >Preference Shares<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#Shares_vs_Stock_Whats_the_Difference\" >Shares vs. Stock: What&#8217;s the Difference?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#Key_Terms_to_Learn_Before_You_Invest\" >Key Terms to Learn Before You Invest<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#How_Do_You_Actually_Make_Money_From_Shares\" >How Do You Actually Make Money From Shares?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#What_are_the_Benefits_of_Investing_in_Shares\" >What are the Benefits of Investing in Shares?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#What_are_the_Risks_of_Investing_in_Shares\" >What are the Risks of Investing in Shares?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#Start_Investing_With_Shoonya\" >Start Investing With Shoonya<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#What_are_Shares_FAQs\" >What are Shares : FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<nav style=\"--separator: &quot;\/&quot;\" class=\"wp-block-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\"><ol><li><a href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/stock-market\/\">Stock Market<\/a><\/li><li><span aria-current=\"page\">What Are Shares? A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Start Investing<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/nav>\n\n\n<meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\n<meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\">\n<link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\">\n<link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.gstatic.com\" crossorigin=\"\">\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Figtree:wght@300;400;500;600;700;800&amp;family=Bricolage+Grotesque:wght@700;800&amp;display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<style>\n  :root{\n    --copper:#EFA145; --copper-deep:#D17800; --steel:#424242;\n    --forest:#082F25; --forest-2:#0C3D30; --fresh:#6CE890; --green:#45D965;\n    --mint:#EEFFF2; --mint-2:#F6FFF9; --line:#DDEBE3; --line-soft:#E8F3EC;\n    --red:#C11414; --ink:#2B342F; --grey:#5F6B65; --maxw:820px;\n  }\n  *{box-sizing:border-box;}\n  body{margin:0;font-family:\"Figtree\",system-ui,-apple-system,sans-serif;background:var(--mint);color:var(--ink);line-height:1.65;font-size:17.5px;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;}\n  ::selection{background:var(--fresh);color:var(--forest);}\n  .wrap{max-width:var(--maxw);margin:0 auto;padding:0 24px;}\n  main{max-width:100%;margin:0;padding:0;background:transparent;border:none;border-radius:0;box-shadow:none;overflow:visible;}\n  .masthead{background:var(--forest);color:#EAF7EF;padding:40px 44px 34px;position:relative;overflow:hidden;}\n  .masthead .inner{position:relative;z-index:2;}\n  .masthead .tagline{font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--fresh);margin:0 0 16px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:9px;}\n  .masthead .tagline .dot{width:7px;height:7px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--copper);}\n  h1{margin:0;font-size:clamp(27px,4.3vw,40px);line-height:1.14;font-weight:800;letter-spacing:-.9px;color:#000;}\n  .masthead h1{color:#EAF7EF;}\n  h1 .cu{color:var(--copper);} h1 .gr{color:var(--fresh);}\n  .body{padding:38px 44px 44px;}\n  .body > p{margin:0 0 22px;color:#33413B;}\n  .intro{font-size:19px;line-height:1.6;color:#2B3B34;}\n  h2{font-size:clamp(21px,2.9vw,26px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;letter-spacing:-.4px;color:var(--forest);margin:44px 0 16px;padding-left:16px;border-left:4px solid var(--copper);}\n  h3{font-size:17px;font-weight:700;color:var(--forest);margin:26px 0 8px;}\n  ul.doc,.doc li{margin:0;}\n  ul.doc{list-style:none;padding:0;margin:6px 0 22px;}\n  ul.doc li{position:relative;padding:9px 0 9px 28px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line-soft);color:#33413B;}\n  ul.doc li:last-child{border-bottom:none;}\n  ul.doc li::before{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:2px;top:18px;width:8px;height:8px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--copper);}\n  ul.doc li strong{color:var(--steel);}\n  .cols{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:24px;margin:6px 0 22px;}\n  @media (max-width:640px){ .cols{grid-template-columns:1fr;} }\n  .col h3{margin-top:0;} .col ul.doc{margin-bottom:0;}\n  .tbl-title{font-size:13px;font-weight:800;letter-spacing:1.4px;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--copper-deep);margin:34px 0 12px;}\n  .tbl-scroll{overflow-x:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;margin:6px 0 22px;}\n  table{width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;font-size:16px;border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;}\n  thead th{background:var(--forest);color:#EAF7EF;text-align:left;font-weight:700;font-size:12.5px;letter-spacing:.8px;text-transform:uppercase;padding:13px 18px;white-space:nowrap;}\n  tbody td{padding:13px 18px;border-top:1px solid var(--line-soft);color:#33413B;vertical-align:top;}\n  tbody tr:nth-child(even){background:var(--mint-2);}\n  tbody td:first-child{font-weight:600;color:var(--steel);}\n  td .num{font-weight:700;color:var(--forest);font-variant-numeric:tabular-nums;}\n  tr.total td{background:#E9F8EE;} tr.total td:first-child{color:var(--forest);font-weight:800;} tr.total td .num{color:var(--forest);}\n  .badge{display:inline-block;font-size:11.5px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.3px;padding:3px 11px;border-radius:100px;white-space:nowrap;}\n  .b-neutral{background:#EEF2F0;color:var(--steel);} .b-positive{background:#E4FBEA;color:#1E8E3E;} .b-watch{background:#FDF0DC;color:var(--copper-deep);} .b-negative{background:#FBE7E7;color:var(--red);}\n  .quote{margin:26px 0;padding:20px 26px;position:relative;border-left:4px solid var(--copper);background:var(--mint-2);border-radius:0 12px 12px 0;font-size:17px;line-height:1.55;font-weight:500;color:var(--forest);}\n  .quote p{margin:0;} .quote p + p{margin-top:10px;}\n  .quote cite{display:block;margin-top:12px;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:.4px;color:var(--copper-deep);}\n  .outlook{background:var(--mint);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:14px;padding:22px 24px;margin-top:14px;}\n  .outlook p{margin:0;color:#2B3B34;}\n  .balance{margin:20px 0;padding:20px 24px;background:var(--forest);color:#fff;border-radius:14px;text-align:center;font-weight:800;font-size:clamp(17px,2.5vw,22px);letter-spacing:.2px;line-height:1.35;}\n  .balance span{color:var(--fresh);margin:0 6px;font-weight:800;}\n  .balance small{display:block;margin-top:8px;font-size:12.5px;font-weight:600;color:#C8DFD3;letter-spacing:.3px;}\n  .steps{counter-reset:step;list-style:none;padding:0;margin:6px 0 22px;}\n  .steps li{counter-increment:step;position:relative;padding:14px 0 14px 46px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line-soft);color:#33413B;}\n  .steps li:last-child{border-bottom:none;}\n  .steps li::before{content:counter(step);position:absolute;left:0;top:12px;width:28px;height:28px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--copper);color:#fff;font-weight:800;font-size:13px;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}\n  .steps li strong{display:block;color:var(--forest);font-weight:700;margin-bottom:3px;}\n  .final-cta{background:var(--forest);border-radius:16px;padding:40px;margin:56px 0 32px;text-align:center;}\n  .final-cta h3{font-family:'Bricolage Grotesque',sans-serif;font-size:22px;font-weight:800;color:var(--fresh);margin-bottom:24px;letter-spacing:-0.3px;}\n  .final-pills{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:center;gap:10px;margin-bottom:28px;}\n  .final-pill{background:rgba(108,232,144,0.1);border:1px solid rgba(108,232,144,0.25);color:var(--mint);font-size:13px;font-weight:600;padding:7px 16px;border-radius:20px;}\n  .final-cta a{display:inline-flex;background:var(--copper);color:var(--forest);font-family:'Bricolage Grotesque',sans-serif;font-weight:800;font-size:15px;padding:14px 32px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:none;transition:opacity 0.15s;}\n  .final-cta a:hover{opacity:0.9;}\n  .disclaimer{margin:18px 0 0;padding:18px 22px;background:var(--mint-2);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:14px;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6;color:var(--grey);}\n  .disclaimer strong{color:var(--steel);}\n  .source{margin:30px 0 0;padding-top:18px;border-top:1px solid var(--line);font-size:14px;color:var(--grey);word-break:break-word;}\n  .source a{color:var(--copper-deep);}\n  .faq{display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:12px;margin:6px 0 22px;}\n  .faq-item{background:var(--mint-2);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;transition:border-color .2s ease, box-shadow .2s ease;}\n  .faq-item:hover{border-color:var(--copper);box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(239,161,69,0.18);}\n  .faq-item[open]{border-color:var(--copper);box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(239,161,69,0.18);}\n  .faq-q{list-style:none;cursor:pointer;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:16px;padding:17px 20px;font-weight:700;color:var(--forest);font-size:16px;}\n  .faq-q::-webkit-details-marker{display:none;}\n  .faq-icon{flex:0 0 auto;width:26px;height:26px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--copper);color:#fff;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-size:16px;font-weight:800;line-height:1;transition:transform .2s ease, background .2s ease;}\n  .faq-item[open] .faq-icon{background:var(--forest);transform:rotate(45deg);}\n  .faq-a{margin:0;padding:0 20px 18px;color:#33413B;font-size:15.5px;line-height:1.6;}\n  .video-wrap{position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;border-radius:14px;margin:6px 0 22px;border:1px solid var(--line);}\n  .video-wrap iframe{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;}\n  @media (max-width:640px){ body{font-size:16.5px;} .masthead{padding:32px 24px 28px;} .body{padding:28px 24px 34px;} h2{margin-top:36px;} table{font-size:14px;} }\n  .entry-title,.post-title,.single-post h1,h1.entry-title{color:#000!important;}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"body\">\n  <p>Every time someone says they &#8220;own stock&#8221; in a company, what they actually hold is a set of shares: small, tradable units of ownership that come with real financial and legal rights. Buy one, and you become a part owner with a claim to the company&#8217;s profits.<\/p>\n  <p>If the business grows, the share&#8217;s value can rise with it, and some of the profit may be returned as dividends. If it doesn&#8217;t, the value can drop, and no dividend is owed to anyone.<\/p>\n  <p>This guide breaks down what shares are, the different types, how shareholders actually make (or lose) money, risks, and the steps to buy your first share in India.<\/p>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_Share\"><\/span>What Is a Share?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <p>A share is one unit of ownership in a company. When a company divides its total ownership into smaller, tradable units, each one is a share.<\/p>\n  <p>For example, if a company has issued 1,00,000 shares and you own 1,000 of them, you hold a 1% stake in that company.<\/p>\n  <p>The exact rights attached to that stake, including voting power, dividend priority, and repayment order, depend on the class of share you hold. Equity shareholders generally have voting rights; preference shareholders receive priority for dividends and capital repayments. Both are covered in detail below.<\/p>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Shares_Work\"><\/span>How Do Shares Work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <p>Shares move through two connected markets.<\/p>\n  <p>The primary market is where a company creates and sells new shares, most commonly through an Initial Public Offering (IPO), but also via rights issues, preferential allotments, qualified institutional placements, and bonus issues. This is the only point at which the company itself receives money from the transaction.<\/p>\n  <p>The secondary market is where existing shareholders trade shares with each other on an exchange like the NSE or BSE, after listing. The company isn&#8217;t a party to these trades; you&#8217;re buying from, or selling to, another investor.<\/p>\n  <p>Share prices in the secondary market move constantly based on demand and supply, shaped by factors like:<\/p>\n  <ul class=\"doc\">\n    <li>Revenue and profit growth<\/li>\n    <li>Debt levels and industry conditions<\/li>\n    <li>Interest rate and policy changes<\/li>\n    <li>Corporate announcements<\/li>\n    <li>Investor sentiment and global market moves<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Companies_Issue_Shares\"><\/span>Why Do Companies Issue Shares?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <p>Raising money through equity means giving up a slice of ownership rather than taking on debt that must be repaid with interest. Companies typically use the proceeds to expand operations, build capacity, develop new products, enter new markets, acquire another business, repay existing debt, or fund working capital.<\/p>\n  <p>One trade-off worth knowing: issuing new shares can dilute existing shareholders, since their ownership percentage shrinks unless they buy a proportionate number of the new shares.<\/p>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_Types_of_Shares_Equity_vs_Preference\"><\/span>What are the Types of Shares: Equity vs. Preference<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <p>Every share issued falls into one of two categories, which differ in voting power, dividend treatment, and outcomes upon liquidation.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"tbl-scroll\">\n    <table>\n      <thead>\n        <tr><th>Parameters<\/th><th>Equity Shares<\/th><th>Preference Shares<\/th><\/tr>\n      <\/thead>\n      <tbody>\n        <tr><td>Nature<\/td><td>Regular ownership<\/td><td>Ownership with preferential financial rights<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Dividend<\/td><td>Variable, tied to performance<\/td><td>Usually a fixed, predetermined rate<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Dividend priority<\/td><td>Paid after preference shareholders<\/td><td>Paid first<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Voting rights<\/td><td>Generally full<\/td><td>Usually restricted<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Liquidation priority<\/td><td>Paid last, after creditors and preference shareholders<\/td><td>Paid before equity shareholders<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Conversion<\/td><td>Stays equity<\/td><td>Some classes can convert to equity<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Risk<\/td><td>Generally higher<\/td><td>Often lower, but not risk-free<\/td><\/tr>\n      <\/tbody>\n    <\/table>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Equity_Shares\"><\/span>Equity Shares<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <p>Equity shares, also called ordinary shares, are the most commonly traded shares on any exchange. They carry no fixed maturity, no guaranteed dividend, and generally sit last in line during liquidation, behind creditors and preference shareholders. In exchange for that risk, equity holders receive the full upside if the company grows, plus voting rights on matters such as board appointments and major corporate decisions.<\/p>\n  <p>Equity shares aren&#8217;t all identical. Common variants include:<\/p>\n  <ul class=\"doc\">\n    <li><strong>Shares with differential rights:<\/strong> carry different voting or dividend terms than ordinary shares (for example, lower voting power paired with a different dividend rate), within legal limits.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Bonus shares:<\/strong> extra shares issued free to existing holders in a fixed ratio (e.g., 1 additional share for every 2 held). This increases share count, not overall investment value, since the market price typically adjusts downward to compensate.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Rights shares:<\/strong> offered to existing shareholders, usually below market price, in proportion to their current holding. Subscribing is optional.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Sweat equity shares:<\/strong> issued to employees or directors as recognition for expertise, IP contribution, or value added, under applicable company law.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Partly paid shares:<\/strong> investors pay only part of the issue price upfront and the rest when the company makes a &#8220;call.&#8221; Non-payment can trigger consequences set out in the issue terms.<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Preference_Shares\"><\/span>Preference Shares<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <p>Preference shareholders get paid first, both for dividends and for capital repayment if the company is wound up, but usually can&#8217;t vote on most company matters. Within this category:<\/p>\n  <div class=\"tbl-scroll\">\n    <table>\n      <thead>\n        <tr><th>Type<\/th><th>What It Means<\/th><\/tr>\n      <\/thead>\n      <tbody>\n        <tr><td>Cumulative<\/td><td>Unpaid dividends carry forward and accumulate until paid<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Non-cumulative<\/td><td>Unpaid dividends are forfeited; no carry-forward<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Participating<\/td><td>Get the fixed dividend plus a share of surplus profits<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Non-participating<\/td><td>Get only the fixed dividend and repayment terms specified<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Convertible<\/td><td>Can convert into equity shares after a set period or trigger<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Non-convertible<\/td><td>Remain preference shares until redeemed<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Redeemable<\/td><td>Repaid by the company on a pre-set schedule (Indian law caps redemption periods)<\/td><\/tr>\n      <\/tbody>\n    <\/table>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shares_vs_Stock_Whats_the_Difference\"><\/span>Shares vs. Stock: What&#8217;s the Difference?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <ul class=\"doc\">\n    <li>A share is a unit of ownership in a specific company, as in &#8220;I own 200 shares of Company A&#8221;<\/li>\n    <li>Stock is the broader, category-level term for equity ownership in general, or across multiple companies, as in &#8220;I invest in banking stocks.&#8221; In everyday conversation, though, the two are used interchangeably.<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Terms_to_Learn_Before_You_Invest\"><\/span>Key Terms to Learn Before You Invest<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <div class=\"tbl-scroll\">\n    <table>\n      <thead>\n        <tr><th>Term<\/th><th>Meaning<\/th><\/tr>\n      <\/thead>\n      <tbody>\n        <tr><td>Face value<\/td><td>The nominal value a company assigns to a share (\u20b91, \u20b92, \u20b95, \u20b910, etc.), used for accounting, not a signal of whether the stock is cheap or expensive<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Market price<\/td><td>The live price at which a listed share trades on the exchange, driven by demand and supply<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Issue price<\/td><td>The price at which a company first offers shares (e.g., in an IPO), often above face value, with the difference booked as securities premium<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Market capitalisation<\/td><td>Current Market Price \u00d7 Outstanding Equity Shares: the total market value of a company&#8217;s equity<\/td><\/tr>\n      <\/tbody>\n    <\/table>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_You_Actually_Make_Money_From_Shares\"><\/span>How Do You Actually Make Money From Shares?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <p>There are two ways to make money. The price goes up, or the company pays you a slice of profit.<\/p>\n\n  <h3>Capital appreciation<\/h3>\n  <p>If you buy shares at a lower price than you sell them for, the difference is your gain, before charges and taxes.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"quote\">\n    <p>Buy 100 shares at \u20b9200 = \u20b920,000. Sell at \u20b9240 = \u20b924,000. Gross gain: \u20b94,000. (If the price moves the other way, that&#8217;s a capital loss.)<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <h3>Dividend income<\/h3>\n  <p>Some companies distribute part of their profits to shareholders as of a specific record date. If you hold 100 shares and the company declares \u20b95 per share, you receive \u20b9500, subject to taxation. Dividends aren&#8217;t guaranteed: a company can reduce, delay, or skip them depending on its financial position, and no past payout obligates a future one.<\/p>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_Benefits_of_Investing_in_Shares\"><\/span>What are the Benefits of Investing in Shares?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <p>Owning shares can pay off in a few different ways, though none of them is guaranteed:<\/p>\n  <ul class=\"doc\">\n    <li><strong>Capital growth potential:<\/strong> A company&#8217;s expanding revenue and improving fundamentals can lift its market value, though valuation and investor sentiment also play a role.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Possible income:<\/strong> Dividend-paying companies can add a cash return on top of any price gains.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Liquidity:<\/strong> Actively traded shares can typically be bought or sold during market hours, though thinly traded stocks may be harder to exit at your expected price.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>A voice in the company:<\/strong> Equity holders can usually vote on matters like board appointments and major resolutions.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Diversification:<\/strong> Spreading capital across companies, sectors, and asset classes can reduce the impact of any single holding underperforming (it doesn&#8217;t eliminate market-wide risk).<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_Risks_of_Investing_in_Shares\"><\/span>What are the Risks of Investing in Shares?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <p>Every share carries the possibility of loss, and it usually comes from one of five sources:<\/p>\n  <ul class=\"doc\">\n    <li><strong>Market risk:<\/strong> Even fundamentally strong companies see prices swing with economic conditions, rates, or shifting sentiment.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Business risk:<\/strong> Weak demand, rising costs, competition, high debt, or management missteps can hurt a company&#8217;s financials and, in turn, its valuation.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Liquidity risk:<\/strong> Low trading activity can force you to accept a lower price to exit a position.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Corporate governance risk:<\/strong> Poor disclosures or conflicts of interest can erode shareholder value; reviewing exchange filings and management quality is part of due diligence.<\/li>\n    <li><strong>Total loss risk:<\/strong> In the event of insolvency, equity holders are paid only after secured lenders, other creditors, and preference shareholders. It&#8217;s possible to lose your entire investment.<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Start_Investing_With_Shoonya\"><\/span>Start Investing With Shoonya<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <p>Shoonya gives you a single platform to research companies, place orders, and track your portfolio. Before you invest, weigh each company&#8217;s fundamentals, valuation, and risk profile against your own financial goals and risk appetite.<\/p>\n  <p>Here&#8217;s how to buy shares on Shoonya:<\/p>\n  <p>You can buy shares on Shoonya by logging into the mobile app or web platform, adding the stock to your watchlist, and placing a buy order.<\/p>\n  <ol class=\"steps\">\n    <li><p style=\"margin:0;\">Open the Shoonya App and log in.<\/p><\/li>\n    <li><p style=\"margin:0;\">Go to your watchlist and tap on your chosen stock.<\/p><\/li>\n    <li><p style=\"margin:0;\">Tap the B (Buy) button to open the order window.<\/p><\/li>\n    <li><p style=\"margin:0;\">Select order type (Limit or Market price).<\/p><\/li>\n    <li><p style=\"margin:0;\">Enter the desired quantity and price.<\/p><\/li>\n    <li><p style=\"margin:0;\">Tap Buy to submit and place your order.<\/p><\/li>\n  <\/ol>\n\n  <div class=\"final-cta\">\n    <h3><\/h3>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/apptrove.shoonya.com\/d\/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Open a Shoonya Demat Account \u2192<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_Shares_FAQs\"><\/span>What are Shares : FAQs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n  <div class=\"faq\">\n    <details class=\"faq-item\">\n      <summary class=\"faq-q\">What are the two main types of shares?<span class=\"faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n      <p class=\"faq-a\">Equity and preference shares are the main types of shares. They differ mainly in voting rights, dividend priority, and repayment order during liquidation.<\/p>\n    <\/details>\n    <details class=\"faq-item\">\n      <summary class=\"faq-q\">Are dividends guaranteed?<span class=\"faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n      <p class=\"faq-a\">No, dividends depend on the company&#8217;s profits, cash position, and board approval, and past payouts don&#8217;t guarantee future ones.<\/p>\n    <\/details>\n    <details class=\"faq-item\">\n      <summary class=\"faq-q\">How do I buy shares in India?<span class=\"faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n      <p class=\"faq-a\">Open a Demat and trading account with a SEBI-registered broker, complete KYC, add funds, research the company, and place an order through the broker&#8217;s platform.<\/p>\n    <\/details>\n    <details class=\"faq-item\">\n      <summary class=\"faq-q\">Can I sell my shares anytime?<span class=\"faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n      <p class=\"faq-a\">Yes, listed shares can generally be sold during market hours if buyers are available; actual execution depends on liquidity, price, and order matching.<\/p>\n    <\/details>\n    <details class=\"faq-item\">\n      <summary class=\"faq-q\">Can the market price fall below face value?<span class=\"faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n      <p class=\"faq-a\">Yes, the market price is set by supply and demand; the face value is just a nominal figure that the company assigns for accounting purposes.<\/p>\n    <\/details>\n    <details class=\"faq-item\">\n      <summary class=\"faq-q\">Can I lose money investing in shares?<span class=\"faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n      <p class=\"faq-a\">Yes, prices can decline, and in a worst-case scenario, such as company insolvency, you could lose your entire investment.<\/p>\n    <\/details>\n    <details class=\"faq-item\">\n      <summary class=\"faq-q\">Are equity shares good for beginners?<span class=\"faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n      <p class=\"faq-a\">Equity shares can suit investors who understand market volatility, have a suitable time horizon, and can tolerate losses. Suitability varies person to person; there&#8217;s no universal answer.<\/p>\n    <\/details>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <p class=\"source\">\n    <strong>Source:<\/strong> investor.sebi.gov.in\n  \n  <\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"disclaimer\">\n    <strong>Disclaimer:<\/strong> This content is for education and awareness purpose only and should not be considered investment advice or a recommendation. Investments in securities markets are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every time someone says they &#8220;own stock&#8221; in a company, what they actually hold is a set of shares: small, tradable units of ownership that come with real financial and legal rights. Buy one, and you become a part owner with a claim to the company&#8217;s profits. If the business grows, the share&#8217;s value can &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;What Are Shares? A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Start Investing&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":18716,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[10559,348,223,10564,10563,10557,10562,1760,10555,10556,10561,10560,10558],"class_list":["post-18713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stock-market","tag-define-shares","tag-difference-between-stock-and-share","tag-equity-shares","tag-equity-shares-meaning","tag-how-to-buy-shares-of-a-company","tag-kinds-of-shares","tag-shares-meaning","tag-types-of-shares","tag-what-are-shares","tag-what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares","tag-what-is-share","tag-what-is-shares","tag-what-is-shares-in-stock-market"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Are Shares? Types and How They Work<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Shares represent part ownership in a company. Understand the meaning and types of shares, shareholder rights, risks and how to buy shares in India.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Are Shares? Types and How They Work\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Shares represent part ownership in a company. Understand the meaning and types of shares, shareholder rights, risks and how to buy shares in India.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ShoonyaApp\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-10T06:19:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-10T06:19:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/What-Are-Shares.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"675\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"atulrana\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"What Are Shares? Types and How They Work\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Shares represent part ownership in a company. Understand the meaning and types of shares, shareholder rights, risks and how to buy shares in India.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/What-Are-Shares.webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@shoonyaapp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@shoonyaapp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"atulrana\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"atulrana\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/753b3e2352dc2915e7069273091f9124\"},\"headline\":\"What Are Shares? A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Start Investing\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-10T06:19:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-10T06:19:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1774,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/What-Are-Shares.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"define shares\",\"difference between Stock and Share\",\"Equity Shares\",\"equity shares meaning\",\"how to buy shares of a company\",\"kinds of shares\",\"shares meaning\",\"Types of Shares\",\"What Are Shares\",\"What Are Shares and Types of Shares\",\"what is share\",\"what is shares\",\"what is shares in stock market\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Stock Market\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/\",\"name\":\"What Are Shares? Types and How They Work\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/What-Are-Shares.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-10T06:19:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-10T06:19:44+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/753b3e2352dc2915e7069273091f9124\"},\"description\":\"Shares represent part ownership in a company. Understand the meaning and types of shares, shareholder rights, risks and how to buy shares in India.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/What-Are-Shares.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/What-Are-Shares.webp\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":675,\"caption\":\"What Are Shares\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Stock Market\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/stock-market\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"What Are Shares? A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Start Investing\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"\",\"description\":\"Shoonya Blogs | Explore Shoonya\u2019s expert blogs on IPOs, market news, mutual funds, stocks, company stories, banking, and trading. Stay informed, invest smarter!\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shoonya.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/753b3e2352dc2915e7069273091f9124\",\"name\":\"atulrana\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/56661bad9a9faba6942f406f61a70c95770772dfbac6ae45629f44769cc88636?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/56661bad9a9faba6942f406f61a70c95770772dfbac6ae45629f44769cc88636?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/56661bad9a9faba6942f406f61a70c95770772dfbac6ae45629f44769cc88636?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"atulrana\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Are Shares? Types and How They Work","description":"Shares represent part ownership in a company. Understand the meaning and types of shares, shareholder rights, risks and how to buy shares in India.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Are Shares? Types and How They Work","og_description":"Shares represent part ownership in a company. Understand the meaning and types of shares, shareholder rights, risks and how to buy shares in India.","og_url":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ShoonyaApp\/","article_published_time":"2026-09-10T06:19:43+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-10T06:19:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":675,"url":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/What-Are-Shares.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"atulrana","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"What Are Shares? Types and How They Work","twitter_description":"Shares represent part ownership in a company. Understand the meaning and types of shares, shareholder rights, risks and how to buy shares in India.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/What-Are-Shares.webp","twitter_creator":"@shoonyaapp","twitter_site":"@shoonyaapp","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"atulrana","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/"},"author":{"name":"atulrana","@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/753b3e2352dc2915e7069273091f9124"},"headline":"What Are Shares? A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Start Investing","datePublished":"2026-09-10T06:19:43+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-10T06:19:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/"},"wordCount":1774,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/What-Are-Shares.webp","keywords":["define shares","difference between Stock and Share","Equity Shares","equity shares meaning","how to buy shares of a company","kinds of shares","shares meaning","Types of Shares","What Are Shares","What Are Shares and Types of Shares","what is share","what is shares","what is shares in stock market"],"articleSection":["Stock Market"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/","url":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/","name":"What Are Shares? Types and How They Work","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/What-Are-Shares.webp","datePublished":"2026-09-10T06:19:43+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-10T06:19:44+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/753b3e2352dc2915e7069273091f9124"},"description":"Shares represent part ownership in a company. Understand the meaning and types of shares, shareholder rights, risks and how to buy shares in India.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/What-Are-Shares.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/What-Are-Shares.webp","width":1200,"height":675,"caption":"What Are Shares"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/what-are-shares-and-types-of-shares\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Stock Market","item":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/stock-market\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"What Are Shares? A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Start Investing"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/","name":"","description":"Shoonya Blogs | Explore Shoonya\u2019s expert blogs on IPOs, market news, mutual funds, stocks, company stories, banking, and trading. Stay informed, invest smarter!","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/753b3e2352dc2915e7069273091f9124","name":"atulrana","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/56661bad9a9faba6942f406f61a70c95770772dfbac6ae45629f44769cc88636?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/56661bad9a9faba6942f406f61a70c95770772dfbac6ae45629f44769cc88636?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/56661bad9a9faba6942f406f61a70c95770772dfbac6ae45629f44769cc88636?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"atulrana"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18713"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18713\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18718,"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18713\/revisions\/18718"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shoonya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}