A Stock Exchange or SE for short is place where traders and investors, and stockbrokers acting on their behalf, can buy and sell securities, also known as 'shares' or 'stocks'. A SE is fundamental to the buying and selling of shares in publicly listed companies; without a SE, securities cannot be listed publicly, and this diminishes liquidity in those securities and also constrains capital-raising efforts by large corporations.
In Australia, the best known SE is the ASX, which was formed in 1987 to consolidate six SEs in the six States of Australia. Today, the ASX is sixteenth largest in the world with a market capitalization of approximately $2 trillion. Another stock exchange in Australia is the National Stock Exchange or NSX, which in 2005 acquired the Bendigo Stock Exchange or BSX before changing its name from the Newcastle Stock Exchange (in 2006).
There are many SEs all over the world. The New York Stock Exchnage or NYSE is the largest SE, with a market capitalization of approximately $23 trillion. The NASDAQ, also in New York, is second largest with a market capitalization of approximately $11 trillion. Both operate differently and the NASDAQ appeals to many technology and biotechnology companies and others whose market capitalizations are small.
If you are interested in learning more about these SEs, you can visit their websites below. This website is under construction.
