Stock
Stock is a type of commodity which represents partial ownership of a corporation or other business interest. Stock is distinct from Currency in that it is an investment rather than a simple medium of exchange. Each share of Stock in a business entitles its owner to a fraction of that business' profits (known as a "dividend") in proportion to the total number of shares in existence. Stock shares may be bought, sold, and traded from one owner to another and, as a business increases or decreases in value, so too does its Stock.
When a business issues Stock shares, it classifies them as either "Common Stock" or "Voting Stock," the difference being that only those who hold Voting Stock have a say in decisions affecting the business. Thus, an individual or group which holds a majority of a business' Voting Stock effectively controls that business, even if they do not hold a majority of its total Stock.
When a business issues Stock shares, it classifies them as either "Common Stock" or "Voting Stock," the difference being that only those who hold Voting Stock have a say in decisions affecting the business. Thus, an individual or group which holds a majority of a business' Voting Stock effectively controls that business, even if they do not hold a majority of its total Stock.
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