Major Market Types

Learn Major Market Types — part of our Trading Foundations series on Trading Bite. Free trading education for Pakistan, India & Gulf traders. Educational use only; not financial advice.

· 3 min read

Where trading happens

Retail traders commonly access these markets:

  • Forex (FX) — Currency pairs such as EUR/USD. The forex market is decentralised and trades nearly 24 hours on weekdays (closed weekends).
  • Stocks / equities — Shares of companies listed on exchanges (e.g. NYSE, NASDAQ, LSE, PSX, NSE/BSE).
  • Commodities — Physical or linked contracts for gold (XAU), oil, etc.
  • Cryptocurrency — Digital assets like BTC and ETH on centralised or decentralised exchanges.
Market comparisonForex 24/5Stocks sessionGold / OilCrypto 24/7Each market has its own hours, fees, and volatility profile.

What to verify

Before trading any market, confirm: (1) your broker is regulated in your country where applicable, (2) trading hours, (3) contract specifications (lot size, tick value), and (4) fees/spread.