# Reference: Microeconomic Theory (Profit Maximization), CISI Wealth & Investment Management.

An order-driven market relies on an electronic order book to match buy and sell orders based purely on price and time priority.
* Example: The London Stock Exchange (LSE) uses SETS (Stock Exchange Electronic Trading Service) for order-driven trading.
* Key Features:
* Buyers and sellers place limit orders and market orders.
* No market makers-orders are matched electronically.
* Used for high-liquidity securities.
# Reference: LSE Trading Mechanisms, CISI Wealth & Investment Management.

* Understanding Negative Interest Rates:
* Negative interest rate policies (NIRP) are used by central banks to stimulate the economy by discouraging banks from hoarding excess reserves.
* Under NIRP, banks are charged interest for holding deposits with the central bank, incentivizing lending to businesses and consumers instead.
* Elimination of Other Options:
* A & B: Interest is still charged on loans, and consumers are not directly "paid" to borrow.
* C: Discounting loan interest rates is a potential consequence but not the direct mechanism of NIRP.
References:
* ICWIM Module 1: Economic Policy: Coverage of unconventional monetary policies like NIRP.

Demutualisation refers to the process by which a mutual savings institution, such as a building society, converts into a publicly traded company or bank. This transformation allows the institution to raise capital through equity issuance and expand its services beyond mutual members.
Example:
* The Abbey National Building Society in the UK demutualised in the 1980s to become a bank.

An increase in earnings per share (EPS) indicates improved profitability on a per-share basis. This enhances the company's ability to distribute dividends to shareholders, assuming a consistent payout ratio.
* Widened share base (A): This would typically dilute EPS, not increase it.
* Market share (C): Market share is unrelated to EPS; it is about the company's competitive position.
* P/E ratio (D): While EPS affects valuation, a rise in EPS does not guarantee a P/E increase.
References:
* International Certificate in Wealth & Investment Management: Financial ratios and their implications.
* EPS as a metric of profitability and dividend-paying capacity.