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.

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 November 2025. The following largest 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 average for 2022 based on 75 countries was 1225.97 billion U.S. dollars. The highest value was in the USA: 40297.98 billion U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Bermuda: 0.21 billion U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1975 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The value of global domestic equity market increased from ***** trillion U.S. dollars in 2013 to ****** trillion U.S. dollars in 2024. The United States was by far the leading country with the largest share of total world stocks as of 2024. Global market capitalization in different regions The market capitalization of domestic companies listed varied across different regions of the world. As of Decmber 2024, the Americas region had the largest domestic equity market, totaling ** trillion U.S. dollars. This region is home to the NYSE and Nasdaq, which are the two largest stock exchange operators in the world. The market capitalization of these two exchanges alone exceeded ** billion U.S. dollars as of January 2025, larger than the total market capitalization in the Asia-Pacific, and in the EMEA regions in the same period. Largest Stock Exchanges in Latin America As of December 2024, the B3 (Brasil Bolsa Balcao) was the biggest stock exchange in Latin America in terms of market capitalization and the second-largest in terms of number of listed companies. Following the B3 were the Mexican Stock Exchange and the Santiago Stock Exchange in Chile. The most valuable company in Latin America is listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange: Fomento Económico Mexicano, a multinational beverage and retail company headquartered in Monterrey, had a market cap of *** billion U.S. dollars as of March 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Stock Market Total Value Traded to GDP for United States (DDDM02USA156NWDB) from 1975 to 2019 about market cap, stock market, trade, GDP, and USA.

The value of the DJIA index amounted to ****** at the end of June 2025, up from ********* at the end of March 2020. Global panic about the coronavirus epidemic caused the drop in March 2020, which was the worst drop since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. Dow Jones Industrial Average index – additional information The Dow Jones Industrial Average index is a price-weighted average of 30 of the largest American publicly traded companies on New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, and includes companies like Goldman Sachs, IBM and Walt Disney. This index is considered to be a barometer of the state of the American economy. DJIA index was created in 1986 by Charles Dow. Along with the NASDAQ 100 and S&P 500 indices, it is amongst the most well-known and used stock indexes in the world. The year that the 2018 financial crisis unfolded was one of the worst years of the Dow. It was also in 2008 that some of the largest ever recorded losses of the Dow Jones Index based on single-day points were registered. On September 29, 2008, for instance, the Dow had a loss of ****** points, one of the largest single-day losses of all times. The best years in the history of the index still are 1915, when the index value increased by ***** percent in one year, and 1933, year when the index registered a growth of ***** percent.

United Kingdom's main stock market index, the GB100, fell to 9690 points on December 2, 2025, losing 0.13% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has declined 0.12%, though it remains 15.91% higher than a year ago, 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 December of 2025.

About:

This dataset encompasses the historical data of major stock indices from around the world, sourced directly from Yahoo Finance. With data reaching back to the early 1920s (where available), it serves as an invaluable repository for academic researchers, financial analysts, and market enthusiasts. Users can delve into trends across decades, evaluate historical market behaviors, or even design and validate predictive financial models.

Photo by Tötös Ádám on Unsplash

Info on CSVs:

1. all_indices_data.csv:

   • Description: A consolidated dataset merging all the stock indices from Yahoo Finance.
   • Columns:
     • date: The date of the data point (formatted as YYYY-MM-DD).
     • open: The opening value of the index on that date.
     • high: The highest value of the index during the trading session.
     • low: The lowest value of the index during the trading session.
     • close: The closing value of the index.
     • volume: The trading volume of the index on that date.
     • ticker: The ticker symbol of the stock index.

2. individual_indices_data/[SYMBOL]_data.csv:

   • Description: Individual datasets for each stock index, where [SYMBOL] denotes the ticker symbol of the respective stock index. Each dataset is curated from Yahoo Finance's historical data archives.
   • Columns:
     • date: The date of the data point (formatted as YYYY-MM-DD).
     • open: The opening value of the index on that date.
     • high: The highest value of the index during the trading session.
     • low: The lowest value of the index during the trading session.
     • close: The closing value of the index.
     • volume: The trading volume of the index on that date.

The global stock market demonstrates a robust growth trajectory, poised for significant expansion in the coming decade. Projections indicate the market will surge from approximately $9.55 trillion in 2021 to over $23.85 trillion by 2033, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.926%. This growth is underpinned by strong corporate earnings, technological advancements in trading, and increasing participation from retail investors. While North America currently dominates in terms of market size, the Asia-Pacific region is emerging as the fastest-growing hub, driven by the burgeoning economies of India and China. Factors such as monetary policies, geopolitical stability, and regulatory environments will continue to be pivotal in shaping regional market dynamics and overall global performance.

Key strategic insights from our comprehensive analysis reveal:

The Asia-Pacific region is the primary growth engine for the global stock market, exhibiting the highest CAGR of 9.112%, with nations like India and China leading this rapid expansion.
North America, particularly the United States, will maintain its position as the largest market by value, commanding a significant share of the global total, despite a slightly more moderate growth rate compared to APAC.
There is a consistent and broad-based growth trend across all major global regions, indicating widespread investor confidence and economic recovery, though the pace of expansion varies, highlighting diverse investment opportunities and risks.

Global Market Overview & Dynamics of Stock Market Analysis The global stock market is on a path of sustained and significant growth, driven by a confluence of economic, technological, and social factors. The market is forecast to expand from $9.55 trillion in 2021 to nearly $23.86 trillion by 2033. This expansion reflects growing global wealth, increased corporate profitability, and the continuous innovation in financial technologies that makes investing more accessible. However, this growth is not without its challenges, as markets must navigate through geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, and evolving regulatory landscapes that can introduce volatility and uncertainty.

Global Stock Market Drivers

Favorable Economic Conditions: Broad-based global GDP growth, coupled with supportive monetary policies from central banks in major economies, stimulates corporate investment and boosts earnings, attracting investors to equity markets.
Technological Innovation and Accessibility: The proliferation of online trading platforms, robo-advisors, and mobile investing apps has democratized access to stock markets, leading to a surge in retail investor participation.
Corporate Profitability and IPO Activity: Strong and resilient corporate earnings growth, along with a healthy pipeline of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) from innovative companies, continually injects fresh capital and opportunities into the market.

Global Stock Market Trends

Rise of ESG Investing: There is a rapidly growing trend of investors integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria into their investment decisions, pushing companies to adopt more sustainable practices.
Increased Focus on Emerging Markets: Investors are increasingly allocating capital to emerging markets, particularly in the Asia-Pacific and South American regions, in pursuit of higher growth potential compared to more mature markets.
Growth of Passive Investing: The shift towards passive investment strategies, such as index funds and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), continues to gain momentum due to their lower costs and broad market exposure.

Global Stock Market Restraints

Geopolitical Instability and Trade Disputes: International conflicts, trade wars, and political uncertainty can disrupt global supply chains, dampen investor sentiment, and lead to significant market volatility.
Inflation and Interest Rate Hikes: Persistent inflationary pressures force central banks to raise interest rates, which increases borrowing costs for companies and can make less risky assets like bonds more attractive relative to stocks.
Regulatory Scrutiny and Complexity: Stricter regulations on financial markets, data privacy, and corporate governance can increase compliance costs and limit certain market activities, potentially hindering growth.

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Oil prices dropped today due to concerns over the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in oil supply. However, the approval of vaccines and discussions of production cuts provide some hope for a potential recovery in the future.

New York Stock Exchange: Index: Dow Jones US Large Cap Total Stock Market Index data was reported at 12,988.120 NA in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13,072.870 NA for Mar 2025. New York Stock Exchange: Index: Dow Jones US Large Cap Total Stock Market Index data is updated monthly, averaging 6,845.950 NA from Aug 2013 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 141 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14,146.240 NA in Jan 2025 and a record low of 3,846.950 NA in Aug 2013. New York Stock Exchange: Index: Dow Jones US Large Cap Total Stock Market Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Exchange Data International Limited. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.EDI.SE: New York Stock Exchange: Dow Jones: Monthly.

The average for 2022 based on 74 countries was 34.95 percent. The highest value was in Hong Kong: 794.22 percent and the lowest value was in Azerbaijan: 0 percent. The indicator is available from 1975 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

View data of the S&P 500, an index of the stocks of 500 leading companies in the US economy, which provides a gauge of the U.S. equity market.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Number of Listed Companies for United States (DDOM01USA644NWDB) from 1975 to 2019 about companies, stock market, and USA.

In 2025, ** percent of adults in the United States invested in the stock market. This figure has remained steady over the last few years and is still below the levels before the Great Recession, when it peaked in 2007 at ** percent. What is the stock market? The stock market can be defined as a group of stock exchanges where investors can buy shares in a publicly traded company. In more recent years, it is estimated an increasing number of Americans are using neobrokers, making stock trading more accessible to investors. Other investments A significant number of people think stocks and bonds are the safest investments, while others point to real estate, gold, bonds, or a savings account. Since witnessing the significant one-day losses in the stock market during the financial crisis, many investors were turning towards these alternatives in hopes for more stability, particularly for investments with longer maturities. This could explain the decrease in this statistic since 2007. Nevertheless, some speculators enjoy chasing the short-run fluctuations, and others see value in choosing particular stocks.

Graph and download economic data for Stock Market Capitalization to GDP for United States (DDDM01USA156NWDB) from 1975 to 2020 about market cap, stock market, capital, GDP, and USA.

Japan's main stock market index, the JP225, rose to 49553 points on December 2, 2025, gaining 0.51% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has declined 3.78%, though it remains 26.25% higher than a year ago, 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 December of 2025.

Explore how economic indicators, geopolitical stability, and industrial demand influence silver prices in the stock market and commodities trading. Learn about the impact of central banks' monetary policies and the role of silver in sectors like electronics and clean energy. Discover investment options like silver ETFs and mining stocks to diversify portfolios and manage market volatility.

The average for 2022 based on 75 countries was 74.88 percent. The highest value was in Hong Kong: 1273.23 percent and the lowest value was in Armenia: 1.29 percent. The indicator is available from 1975 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.