Stock Markets Of The World
By: Ron King
"Stock Market" is a term that is used to refer both to the physical location for buying and selling stocks, and to the overall activity of the market within a certain country. When you hear "The stock market was down today," it refers to the combined activity of many stock exchanges.
The major exchanges in the US are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the American Stock Exchange (Amex), and NASDAQ.
The correct term for the physical location for trading stocks is the "Stock Exchange." A country may have many different stock exchanges. Usually a particular company's stocks are traded on only 1 exchange, although large corporations may be listed in several.
Investing Around The World
There are stock exchanges located throughout the world, and it is possible to buy or sell stocks on any of them. The only restriction is the oparating hours of each exchange. Both the NYSE and NASDAQ, for example, operate from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
Other exchanges have similar opening hours based on their local time. When you trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, your order will be executed sometime between 9:30 pm and 4:00 am New York time.
The locations of the major stock exchanges of the world are:
Japan (Tokyo Stock Exchange)
India (Bombay Stock Exchange)
Europe (London Stock Exchange, Frankfurt Stock Exchange, SWX Swiss Exchange)
the People's Republic of China (Shanghai Stock Exchange)
United States.
Stock Market Fluctuations
The economic health of a country will strongly influence its stock market. When the economy is doing well the market is bullish. Bull markets occur during times of high economic production, low unemployment and low inflation. Bear markets, on the other hand, follow downturns in the economy. When inflation and unemployment are rising, stock prices are usually falling.
Stock price fluctuations are also driven by supply and demand, which in turn are dependent to a great degree on investor psychology. Seeing a stock price rise rapidly can cause investors to jump on the bandwagon, and this rush to buy drives the price up even faster. A falling price can have a similar effect in the other direction. These are short-term fluctuations. Stock prices tend to normalize after such runs.
The stock exchange is only 1 of many opportunities for people to invest. Other popular markets include the Foreign Exchange Market (FOREX), the Futures Market, and the Options Market.
FOREX: World's Largest Market
The FOREX is the biggest (in terms of value) investment market in the world. FOREX traders buy 1 currency against another and can profit from small changes in currency value. Most FOREX trades are entered and exited in 1 24-hour span, and traders have to keep a close watch on the market in order to make profitable trades.
The Futures Market
The Futures Market is a market of contracts to buy and sell certain goods at specified prices and times. It exists because buyers and sellers of goods wish to lock in prices for future delivery, but market conditions can make the actual futures contract fluctuate considerably in value.
Most investors in the futures market are not interested in the actual goods -- only in the profit that can be realized from trading the contracts.
The Options Market
The Options Market is similar to the Futures Market in that an option is a contract that gives you the right (but not the obligation) to trade a stock at a certain price before a specified date. These options can be traded on their own or purchased as a form of insurance against price fluctuations within a certain time frame.
Stocks: Low Risk, Long-Term
All 3 of these markets are considered quite risky without considerable knowledge and experience. They also require close monitoring of market movements. Stocks, on the other hand, are less risky because movements of the market are usually more gradual. Although short-term investment strategies are possible, most people view stocks as long-term investments.
Visit Stock Trade to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.
This article is free for republishing
|
| Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer.
Build Trustworthy Relationships with your Affiliates
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as the byline is included and the article is included in it's entirety. I also ask that you activate any html links found in the article and in the byline. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to: support@multiplestreammktg.comBuild Trustworthy Relationships with your AffiliatesBy Abe CherianCopyri. . .
Return to Index
UK
Financial Services
Sub-categories: Accounting
| Banks
| Building
Societies | Corporate
Finance | Credit
Services | Currency
Services | Debt
Collection | Directories
| Factoring
| Financial
Consultants | Fund
Management | Independent
Financial Advisors | Information
Services | Insurance
| Leasing
| Merchant
Services | Offshore
Services | Organisations
| Personal
Finance | Publications
| Regulation
| Socially
Responsible Investment | Stockbrokers
| Taxation
Article Index: 1
- 2 - 3
- 4 - 5
- 6 - 7
- 8
World
Financial Services
Sub-categories: Associations
| Automobile
Buying and Financing | Banking
Services | By
Region | Cash
Flow | College
Financing | Commercial
Lending | Computer
Financing | Cooperatives
| Credit
and Collection | Directories
| Education
and Training | Employment
| Field
Service Companies | Financial
Consultants | Financial
Planning | Freelancer-Contractor
Services | Holding
Companies | Information
Services | Insurance
| Investment
Banks | Investment
Services | Leasing
Services | Loans
| Marketing
and Advertising | Medical
Billing | Merchant
Services | Mortgages
| News
and Media | Offshore
Services | Payroll
Services | Surety
Bonds | US
Government Financial Sites | Venture
Capital | World
War II Dormant Accounts
Get "IN TO" Vicky's
"rr-tit-calls" (Vicky's a Yorkshire Lass)
Latest News & Previews
Fall
Is In The Air! What Does That Mean? FOOTBALL SEASON!
I just hate it! To make matters worse hubby is home on sick
leave due to his own football injury tossing the dogs toy football and trying
to beat the dog across the yard for it, needless to say those groin muscles
will be out of commission for a while. Lying around with his ice bag the first
day watching soaps with me was enough to make him nuts! Then day two at 2:00
pm, time for “The Young and The Restless” he hides the stupid remote!
I’m going insane tearing the house apart... this is my favorite soap!! He
can’t do this to me!! The whole time I’m going nuts looking for the
remote, he i. . .
Getting
Paid To Drive
There seems to be a never ending fascination to the notion
that some people get paid to drive their cars. While it is true that a few
lucky people are able to do this, the entire field of paid to drive
opportunities has changed dramatically over the last few years.The get paid to
drive concept was at the height of its popularity during the Internet bubble
of the late 1990s. Roadside advertising was near capacity leaving the many
companies that wanted to advertise their service or product to those driving
in their cars without a place to do so. At this time, billboard and other
traditional a. . .
History
of the Guitar
It is very difficult to trace a line back to the exact birth
of the instrument we know as the guitar today, as there is a lot of myth and
uncertainty surrounding its origins. This is mainly due to the fact there have
been a number of similar instruments throughout the ages. Many historians
claim the guitar originated at various points in time. Some believe the guitar
in its earliest form dates back some 4000 years, however no-one really knows
for sure. This is due to a number of artworks that depict guitar-like
instruments being used at various times throughout history. Many ancient
Egyptia. . .
|