so how do you go about stabilizing markets? avoid the black market? supply its demands and ship out its excess output?
Sorta yeah, you do have to keep in mind that some markets have too many detrimental modifiers at the start. Those kind of markets aren't worth trying to save.
Anyways, if you want good quality ships, going for independent (military) markets might be your best bet. Alternatively, you can try to get a commission with one of the major factions.
Generally the tech tier list for vanilla goes like this.
Tri-Tach - (Mid-high tech, high maintenance) beam/energy weapons, fighters, good shields, low armor.
Persen/Sindrian (Mid tech, jack of all traits) balanced KE/HE weapons with a few energy weapons, med shields, med armor
Hegemony/Independent (Low-mid tech, low maintenance) longranged ballistics, harpoons galore, meh shields, super armor and hull.
Pirates/luddic (low tech, low maintenance) short ranged rapid weapons, hammer torpedos(ludd), bad shields, ok armor, very speedy.