TRADING HISTORY
OF THE STOCK IMPORTANCE OF THE STOCK
BEHAVIOR OF THE STOCK STOCK EXCHANGE ROLE OF STOCK EXCHANGE
AMERICAN STOCK EXCHANGE AUSTRALIA ST EXCHANGE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE BOMBAY STOCK EXCHANGE
KUWAIT STOCK EXCHANGE NYSE HONG KONG STOCK EXCHANGE
HOME PAGE
A stock market is a market for the trading of company
stock, and derivatives of same; both of these are securities listed on a
stock exchange as well as those only traded privately.
The term 'the stock market' is a concept for the mechanism that enables the
trading of company stocks (collective shares), other securities, and
derivatives. Bonds are still traditionally traded in an informal,
over-the-counter market known as the bond market. Commodities are traded in
commodities markets, and derivatives are traded in a variety of markets
(but, like bonds, mostly 'over-the-counter').
The size of the worldwide 'bond market' is estimated at $45 trillion. The
size of the 'stock market' is estimated as about half that. The world
derivatives market has been estimated at about $300 trillion. The major U.S.
Banks alone are said to account for about $100 trillion. It must be noted
though that the derivatives market, because it is stated in terms of
notional outstanding amounts, cannot be directly compared to a stock or
fixed income market, which refers to actual value.
The stocks are listed and traded on stock exchanges which are entities (a
corporation or mutual organization) specialized in the business of bringing
buyers and sellers of stocks and securities together. The stock market in
the United States includes the trading of all securities listed on the NYSE,
the NASDAQ, the Amex, as well as on the many regional exchanges, the OTCBB,
and Pink Sheets. European examples of stock exchanges include the Paris
Bourse (now part of Euro next), the London Stock Exchange and the Deutsche
Bores.