Definition

A money market refers to the financial marketplace where short-term debt securities with high liquidity and low risk are bought and sold.

What is a money market?

A money market is a segment of the broader financial market where participants engage in borrowing and lending of funds for short periods. They have relatively short maturities, ranging from a few days to one year. This distinguishes them from longer-term securities like bonds.

Money market instruments are highly liquid, meaning they can be easily bought or sold without significantly affecting their prices. This is crucial for investors who may need to access their funds quickly. These instruments are considered to be among the safest investments available. This is because they are typically issued by governments, financial institutions, or highly rated corporations, reducing the risk of default.

Due to their low-risk profile, money market investments generally offer lower returns compared to riskier assets like stocks or long-term bonds. They are often used for capital preservation rather than significant wealth generation.

Types of money market instruments

• Treasury bills (T-bills): Short-term debt securities issued by governments, typically with maturities ranging from a few days to one year.
• Commercial paper: Unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations to raise short-term funds directly from the market.
• Certificates of deposit (CDs): Time deposit offered by banks with fixed terms and fixed interest rates.
• Repurchase agreements (repos): Short-term borrowing arrangements where one party sells securities to another party with an agreement to repurchase them at a later date at a higher price.
• Money market funds: Investment funds that pool money from many investors to purchase a diversified portfolio of money market securities.

Money markets vs. capital markets

Money markets and capital markets are both vital components of the financial system, yet they serve different purposes. Money markets deal with short-term debt securities and highly liquid assets, facilitating borrowing and lending between financial institutions. In contrast, capital markets handle longer-term securities and investments, such as stocks and bonds, used by businesses and governments to raise funds for growth and operations.

While money markets focus on stability and short-term liquidity, capital markets support economic expansion and long-term investment opportunities, playing key roles in the broader financial ecosystem.

Example of money market

John has $10,000 that he doesn’t need for immediate expenses. Instead of keeping it in a regular savings account, he decides to invest it in the money market. He purchases a money market mutual fund, which invests in short-term, low-risk securities.

Over the course of several months, John earns a return of 1.5% on his investment in the money market mutual fund. At the end of the period, his initial $10,000 investment has grown to $10,150.