Osakkeet

Osakkeet, or shares, are negotiable securities that represent ownership in a corporation. An owner of osakkeet holds a claim on a portion of the company’s assets and earnings and may have voting rights at general meetings, depending on the class of share held.

The most common categories are ordinary (common) shares, which typically grant one vote per share and the right to receive dividends if declared. Preferred shares generally offer priority to dividend payments and to assets on liquidation, but may carry limited or no voting rights.

Shares are issued by companies through offerings and are traded on stock exchanges or over-the-counter markets. The price of osakkeet is determined by supply and demand in the market, and a company’s total market value is called its market capitalization, calculated as the current share price multiplied by the number of outstanding shares.

Investors may earn money from capital gains when selling shares at a higher price and from dividends. However, dividends are not guaranteed, and osakkeet carry risks such as price volatility, company-specific risk, liquidity risk, and potential dilution from new share issues.

Markets are regulated by financial authorities and require regular disclosures to protect investors. The practice of issuing shares dates back to early joint-stock enterprises in Europe, with modern public stock markets developing in the 17th and 18th centuries.