October 5, 2005 (FinancialWire) (Via ADVFN) — Today’s “Main Street for Wall Street” submission is provided courtesy of ADVFN plc (LSE: AFN) (OTC: AVFCF).

The history of stock exchanges can be traced to 12th century France, when the first brokers are believed to have developed, trading in debt and government securities. Unofficial share markets existed across Europe through the 1600s, where brokers would meet outside or in coffee houses to make trades. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, created in 1602, became the first official stock exchange when it began trading shares of the Dutch East India Company. These were the first company shares ever issued.

By the early 1700s there were fully operational stock exchanges in France and England, and America followed in the later part of the century. Share exchanges became an important way for companies to raise capital for investment, while also offering investors the opportunity to share in company profits. The early days of the stock exchange experienced many scandals and share crashes, as there was little to no regulation and almost anyone was allowed to participate in the exchange.

Today, stock exchanges operate around the world, and they have become highly regulated institutions. Investors wanting to buy and sell shares must do so through a share broker, who pays to own a seat on the exchange. Companies with shares traded on an exchange are said to be ‘listed’ and they must meet specific criteria, which varies across exchanges. Most stock exchanges began as floor exchanges, where traders made deals face-to-face. The largest stock exchange in the world, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), continues to operate this way, but most of the world’s exchanges have now become fully electronic.

North American stock exchanges include the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq Stock Exchange (NASDAQ).

European Stock Exchanges include the London Stock Exchange (LSE), London Metal Exchange (LME), Irish Stock Exchange (ISE), Italian Stock Exchange (BIT), Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE), OMX Stock Exchanges (OMX) , Moscow Stock Exchange (MICEX) and the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE).

Asian and Pacific stock exchanges include the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE), Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Hyderabad Stock Exchange (HSE), Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), the Singapore Exchange (SGX), Australian Stock Exchange (ASX)

National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE), New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

Middle Eastern exchanges include the Dubai Stock Exchange (DIFX), and African stock exchanges include the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

Source: ADVFN plc (http://www.advfn.com and http://www.google.co.uk/finance?q=LON:AFN).

Original article posted advn.com (http://www.advfn.com/StockExchanges.html).

About ADVFN: ADVFN plc engages in the development and provision of financial information through the Internet. Its solutions include monitor, quote, charts, trades, news, financial reports, toplists, alerts, portfolio, and managed funds. The company also offers various charts and research services comprising streaming charts, pro charts, research overview, broker and analyst reports, financial screeners, and discussion forums. It provides financial information of various instruments, including foreign exchange, futures and options, commodities, covered warrants, and spread betting and CFDs in world exchanges. The company’s additional services include SMS price alerts, monitor mailer, and trading signals. In addition, it operates Internet dating Web site and jobsite. The company is based in London, the United Kingdom.

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