What is the stock exchange (or stock market)?
Hapinary Dictionary
9.11.2024 1:01 AM
Stock exchanges are organizations where securities from companies are bought and sold. The most popular securities are stocks, but there are also bonds, ETFs, options, and others.
In stock exchanges, those seeking financing negotiate with those looking to invest. It’s a space where companies or organizations can list their securities on the exchange as a source of funding to continue their activities.
Most do so on the more well-known exchanges like the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) and NASDAQ (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation) in the U.S., but there are many more around the world such as the Japan Exchange Group, Shanghai Stock Exchange, Hong Kong Exchanges, or Euronext.
Stock exchange operations, as well as their functions and responsibilities, are highly regulated, often by more than one organization. For example, in the United States, the federal agency SEC, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and FINRA, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, are in place to oversee these markets.
The trading hours vary depending on the country. The New York and Canadian exchanges are open from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, while London operates from 8:00 am to 4:40 pm. Trading is continuous in all markets except for Japan and Hong Kong, where there is a one-hour break for lunch.
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