Who controls the stock market?

It's a common misconception that there's a single entity or person who controls the stock market. In reality, the stock market is a complex system that's influenced by a multitude of factors. So, to answer the question "Who controls the stock market?", it's important to recognize that there isn't a single controlling entity. Instead, the stock market is shaped by the collective actions of millions of individual investors, institutional investors, corporations, and government agencies. Each of these players brings their own unique perspectives, strategies, and goals to the market, and their interactions drive the prices of stocks up and down. For example, individual investors may buy or sell stocks based on their personal financial goals and risk tolerance, while institutional investors, such as mutual funds and pension funds, may have larger investment portfolios and more sophisticated trading strategies. Corporations, on the other hand, may issue new shares of stock to raise capital, or repurchase their own shares to reduce the number of outstanding shares and potentially increase the value of each share. In addition, government agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States, play a crucial role in regulating the stock market and ensuring that it operates fairly and transparently. So, while there isn't a single entity that controls the stock market, the actions of millions of individuals and organizations come together to shape its direction and behavior.