Speculation is the practice of engaging in risky financial transactions in an attempt to profit from fluctuations in the
market value of a tradable good such as a
financial instrument, rather than attempting to profit from the underlying financial attributes embodied in the instrument such as capital gains, interest, or dividends. Many speculators pay little attention to the
fundamental value of a security and instead focus purely on
price movements. Speculation can in principle involve any tradable good or financial instrument. Speculators are particularly common in the markets for
stocks,
bonds,
commodity futures,
currencies,
fine art,
collectibles,
real estate, and
derivatives.