Practice Exam
Question 1: What is the primary role of financial instruments in capital markets?
A. To provide investment opportunities
B. To facilitate international trade
C. To support government budgeting
D. To ensure banking liquidity
Answer: A
Explanation: Financial instruments channel funds from savers to borrowers, providing key
investment opportunities in capital markets.
Question 2: Which market primarily deals with short-term debt instruments?
A. Capital market
B. Money market
C. Derivatives market
D. Primary market
Answer: B
Explanation: Money markets focus on short-term borrowing and lending instruments, ensuring
liquidity.
Question 3: What does the financial instrument lifecycle include?
A. Research, development, marketing, and retirement
B. Issue, trading, settlement, and maturity
C. Design, pricing, trading, and disposal
D. Origination, underwriting, execution, and settlement
Answer: B
Explanation: The lifecycle of a financial instrument is typically issue, trading, settlement, and
ultimately maturity.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes market efficiency?
A. Prices reflect all available information
B. Prices remain constant over time
C. Trading volume is always high
D. Only institutional investors can participate
Answer: A
Explanation: Market efficiency means that all known information is already reflected in asset
prices.
Question 5: How are financial instruments classified in terms of risk and return?
A. Based solely on market liquidity
B. By risk, return, and tradability
C. According to issuer reputation only
,D. By the legal jurisdiction of issuance
Answer: B
Explanation: Classification is done by analyzing risk, return potential, and the ease of trading
(tradability).
Question 6: Which market type is associated with long-term funding?
A. Money market
B. Capital market
C. Derivatives market
D. Futures market
Answer: B
Explanation: Capital markets are where long-term securities such as stocks and bonds are traded.
Question 7: What is a key characteristic of derivatives markets?
A. Trading of physical commodities only
B. Trading based on underlying assets
C. Exclusive trading by governments
D. No connection with risk management
Answer: B
Explanation: Derivatives derive their value from underlying assets like stocks, bonds, or
commodities.
Question 8: Which of the following best explains liquidity in a market?
A. The ease with which an asset can be converted to cash
B. The volatility of asset prices
C. The average trading volume
D. The interest rate levels
Answer: A
Explanation: Liquidity refers to how quickly and easily an asset can be sold for cash without
impacting its price.
Question 9: In which market does primary issuance occur?
A. Secondary market
B. Primary market
C. Money market
D. Over-the-counter market
Answer: B
Explanation: The primary market is where new securities are issued directly to investors.
Question 10: What is the main purpose of the secondary market?
A. To create new securities
B. To facilitate the trading of existing securities
C. To regulate financial instruments
D. To set interest rates
Answer: B
,Explanation: The secondary market provides a platform for investors to buy and sell existing
securities.
Question 11: Which factor directly influences supply and demand in financial markets?
A. Political stability
B. Technological innovation
C. Interest rate changes
D. Cultural trends
Answer: C
Explanation: Interest rate changes significantly impact both the supply and demand for financial
instruments.
Question 12: How does market efficiency affect asset pricing?
A. It causes asset prices to remain static
B. It ensures asset prices reflect all available information
C. It disconnects asset prices from economic fundamentals
D. It leads to perpetual undervaluation
Answer: B
Explanation: In an efficient market, asset prices incorporate all known information, reflecting
true value.
Question 13: What distinguishes capital markets from money markets?
A. Capital markets deal with short-term instruments, money markets with long-term
B. Capital markets deal with long-term instruments, money markets with short-term
C. Both deal with only equity instruments
D. Both are exclusively regulated by central banks
Answer: B
Explanation: Capital markets are used for long-term financing, whereas money markets focus on
short-term debt.
Question 14: Which factor does NOT directly impact the liquidity of a financial
instrument?
A. Trading volume
B. Market participants’ information
C. Transaction costs
D. Market depth
Answer: B
Explanation: While information is important, liquidity is more directly affected by trading
volume, transaction costs, and market depth.
Question 15: What is the significance of tradability in financial instruments?
A. It defines the regulatory framework
B. It indicates how easily an instrument can be bought or sold
C. It measures the intrinsic value of the instrument
D. It sets the risk-free rate
Answer: B
, Explanation: Tradability is a measure of how readily a financial instrument can be exchanged in
the market.
Question 16: Which statement best describes the role of supply and demand in market
pricing?
A. Prices are set by government policies only
B. Prices adjust based on the relative supply and demand
C. Prices are random and unrelated to market conditions
D. Prices are fixed by issuers
Answer: B
Explanation: Market prices are determined by the interplay between supply and demand.
Question 17: What does “issue” mean in the lifecycle of a financial instrument?
A. The final payment at maturity
B. The creation and sale of a new security
C. The negotiation of interest rates
D. The repurchase of securities
Answer: B
Explanation: Issuance is the process of creating and offering a new security to investors.
Question 18: How do market dynamics contribute to price volatility?
A. Through fixed interest rates
B. By rapid changes in supply and demand
C. Through government-set prices
D. By eliminating trading costs
Answer: B
Explanation: Rapid shifts in supply and demand can lead to significant price volatility.
Question 19: What is a typical characteristic of a highly liquid market?
A. Large bid-ask spreads
B. Low trading volume
C. Tight bid-ask spreads
D. High transaction costs
Answer: C
Explanation: A highly liquid market usually exhibits tight bid-ask spreads and high trading
volume.
Question 20: Which market is most associated with the trading of government bonds?
A. Money market
B. Capital market
C. Derivatives market
D. Foreign exchange market
Answer: B
Explanation: Government bonds are long-term securities traded in the capital market.