Which characteristic often limits the entry of new firms into a monopoly market?

In a monopoly market, significant capital requirements often act as a major barrier to entry for new firms. This means that potential competitors need to invest a considerable amount of resources upfront to establish their operations. These capital requirements may include costs for technology, infrastructure, and production capabilities that are often too high for new entrants to manage, especially when they are competing against an established monopoly.

The presence of such high initial costs deters new firms from entering the market, as they may not have the financial resources or access to funding necessary to compete effectively. Furthermore, the monopoly may benefit from economies of scale, allowing it to produce goods at a lower cost than what new entrants could achieve. As a result, this creates a situation where new firms cannot afford to enter the market and challenge the existing monopoly, thus reinforcing the monopoly's market power.

In comparison, other factors like high consumer demand, low production costs, and an abundance of substitutes do not inherently prevent new firms from entering a market, but rather can influence competitive dynamics differently.