In 2025, stock markets in the United States accounted for roughly ** percent of world stocks. The next largest country by stock market share was China, followed by the European Union as a whole. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ are the largest stock exchange operators worldwide. What is a stock exchange? The first modern publicly traded company was the Dutch East Industry Company, which sold shares to the general public to fund expeditions to Asia. Since then, groups of companies have formed exchanges in which brokers and dealers can come together and make transactions in one space. Stock market indices group companies trading on a given exchange, giving an idea of how they evolve in real time. Appeal of stock ownership Over half of adults in the United States are investing money in the stock market. Stocks are an attractive investment because the possible return is higher than offered by other financial instruments.

Iran's main stock market index, the TEDPIX, closed flat at 2523000 points on September 3, 2025. Over the past month, the index has declined 2.55%, though it remains 20.82% higher than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from Iran. Iran Tehran Stock Market Index - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on September of 2025.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index dropped around ***** points in the four weeks from February 12 to March 11, 2020, but has since recovered and peaked at ********* points as of November 24, 2024. In February 2020 - just prior to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the DJIA index stood at a little over ****** points. U.S. markets suffer as virus spreads The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a turbulent period for stock markets – the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also recorded dramatic drops. At the start of February, some analysts remained optimistic that the outbreak would ease. However, the increased spread of the virus started to hit investor confidence, prompting a record plunge in the stock markets. The Dow dropped by more than ***** points in the week from February 21 to February 28, which was a fall of **** percent – its worst percentage loss in a week since October 2008. Stock markets offer valuable economic insights The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a stock market index that monitors the share prices of the 30 largest companies in the United States. By studying the performance of the listed companies, analysts can gauge the strength of the domestic economy. If investors are confident in a company’s future, they will buy its stocks. The uncertainty of the coronavirus sparked fears of an economic crisis, and many traders decided that investment during the pandemic was too risky.

United Kingdom's main stock market index, the GB100, rose to 9285 points on September 26, 2025, gaining 0.77% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has climbed 0.32% and is up 11.59% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from United Kingdom. United Kingdom Stock Market Index (GB100) - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on September of 2025.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the largest stock exchange in the world, with an equity market capitalization of almost ** trillion U.S. dollars as of June 2025. The following three exchanges were the NASDAQ, PINK Exchange, and the Frankfurt Exchange. What is a stock exchange? A stock exchange is a marketplace where stockbrokers, traders, buyers, and sellers can trade in equities products. The largest exchanges have thousands of listed companies. These companies sell shares of their business, giving the general public the opportunity to invest in them. The oldest stock exchange worldwide is the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, founded in the late sixteenth century. Other functions of a stock exchange Since these are publicly traded companies, every firm listed on a stock exchange has had an initial public offering (IPO). The largest IPOs can raise billions of dollars in equity for the firm involved. Related to stock exchanges are derivatives exchanges, where stock options, futures contracts, and other derivatives can be traded.

The Nasdaq Composite index fell by approximately ***** points in the four weeks from February 12 to March 11, 2020, but has since recovered, peaking at over ****** points on July 10, 2024. In February 2020 - just prior to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Nasdaq Composite index stood at a little over ***** points. In February 2020 - just prior to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Nasdaq Composite index stood at a little over ***** points. Coronavirus concerns escalate The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global pandemic in March 2020, setting the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and other market indexes up for significant losses. With the stock markets destabilized, traders opted to sell their shares and were prepared to wait before investing in stocks again. Investors would have felt more confident if there were signs that the virus was being contained, but the number of cases continued to rise.

Japan's main stock market index, the JP225, fell to 45355 points on September 26, 2025, losing 0.87% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has climbed 6.67% and is up 13.87% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from Japan. Japan Stock Market Index (JP225) - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on September of 2025.

View monthly updates and historical trends for S&P 500 5 Year Return. from United States. Source: Standard and Poor's. Track economic data with YCharts an…

View monthly updates and historical trends for S&P 500 1 Year Return. from United States. Source: Standard and Poor's. Track economic data with YCharts an…

China's main stock market index, the SHANGHAI, fell to 3828 points on September 26, 2025, losing 0.65% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has climbed 0.73% and is up 23.99% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from China. China Shanghai Composite Stock Market Index - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on September of 2025.

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View monthly updates and historical trends for S&P 500 3 Year Return. from United States. Source: Standard and Poor's. Track economic data with YCharts an…

In the first quarter of 2020, global stock indices posted substantial losses that were triggered by the outbreak of COVID-19. The period from March 6 to 18 was particularly dramatic, with several stock indices losing more than ** percent of their value. Worldwide panic hits markets From the United States to the United Kingdom, stock market indices suffered steep falls as the coronavirus pandemic created economic uncertainty. The Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 are two indices that track company performance in the United States, and both lost value as lockdowns were introduced in the country. European markets also recorded significant slumps, which triggered panic selling among investors. The FTSE 100 – the leading share index of companies in the UK – plunged by as much as ** percent in the opening weeks of March 2020. Is it time to invest in tech stocks? The S&P 500 is regarded as the best representation of the U.S. economy because it includes more companies from the leading industries. However, helped in no small part by its focus on tech companies, the Nasdaq 100 has risen in popularity and seen remarkable growth in recent years. Global demand for digital technologies has increased further due to the coronavirus, with remote working and online shopping becoming part of the new normal. As a result, more investors are likely to switch to the tech stocks listed on the Nasdaq 100.

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Industry: Investment Banking and Securities Intermediation: Brokerage Services, Equities and ETFs (PCU523120523120101) from Dec 1999 to Aug 2025 about ETF, brokers, stocks, equity, stock market, securities, services, PPI, industry, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

The Dow Jones Composite Index finished the year 2024 at 13,391.71 points, an increase compared to the previous year. Even with the economic effects of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2021 had the highest point of the index in the past two decades. What is Dow Jones Composite Index? The Dow Jones Composite Index is one of the indices from the Dow Jones index family. It is composed of 65 leading U.S. companies: 30 stocks forming the Dow Jones Industrial Average index, 20 stocks from the Dow Jones Transportation index and 15 stocks from the Dow Jones Utility Average index. Importance of stock indices A stock market index shows an average performance of companies from a given section of the market. It is usually a weighted average, meaning that such factors as price of companies or their market capitalization are taken into consideration when calculating the index value. Stock indices are very useful for the financial market participants, as they instantly show the sentiments prevailing on a given market. They are also commonly used as a benchmark against portfolio performance, showing if a given portfolio has outperformed, or underperformed the market.

Graph and download economic data for Nasdaq US Small Cap Investment Banking and Brokerage Services NTR Index (NASDAQNQUSS302020N) from 2012-12-03 to 2025-09-26 about small cap, brokers, market cap, NASDAQ, investment, services, banks, depository institutions, indexes, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Nasdaq US Large Cap Investment Banking and Brokerage Services NTR Index (NASDAQNQUSL302020N) from 2012-12-03 to 2025-09-22 about large cap, brokers, market cap, NASDAQ, large, investment, services, banks, depository institutions, indexes, and USA.

The S&P 500, an index of 500 publicly traded companies in the United States, closed at ******** points on the last trading day of December 2024. What is the S&P 500? The S&P 500 is a stock market index that tracks the evolution of 500 companies. In contrast to the Dow Jones Industrial Index, which measures the performance of thirty large U.S. companies, the S&P 500 shows the sentiments in the broader market. Publicly traded companies Companies on the S&P 500 are publicly traded, meaning that anyone can invest in them. A large share of adults in the United States invest in the stock market, though many of these are through a retirement account or mutual fund. While most people make a modest return, the most successful investors have made billions of U.S. dollars through investing.

Graph and download economic data for Nasdaq US Large Cap Investment Services Index (NASDAQNQUSL30202015) from 2011-06-06 to 2025-09-24 about large cap, market cap, NASDAQ, large, investment, services, indexes, and USA.

View monthly updates and historical trends for S&P 500 Shiller CAPE Ratio. from United States. Source: Robert Shiller. Track economic data with YCharts an…