Stock prices are based on the market value of a company, but there are many factors that influence the pricing of stocks. International economic news, economic data, futures or commodity trading data, analyst downgrades, analyst upgrades, changes in company management, new debt or equity offerings, acquisitions, mergers and myriad other events all play a role in stock pricing. One of the main business factors in determining a stock’s price is a company’s earnings, including the current earnings and estimated future earnings. News from the company and other national and world events also plays a large role in the direction of the stock market. Some examples of this are oil prices, inflation, and terrorist attacks.