<human>:  How does the stock market work?
<bot>: The stock market is a system that allows investors to buy and sell stocks of publicly traded companies. Companies sell stocks to raise capital and investors buy these stocks in hopes of profiting from changes in the stock’s price. Changes in the stock’s price are caused by a variety of factors, such as industry news and the performance of the company. The stock market is also affected by economic conditions, such as GDP and interest rates. Investors can buy and sell stocks through a broker or directly through an online trading platform.