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 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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 Stock Market Capitalization to GDP for World (DISCONTINUED) (DDDM011WA156NWDB) from 1975 to 2015 about market cap, stock market, capital, and GDP.

Graph and download economic data for Stock Market Turnover Ratio (Value Traded/Capitalization) for United States (DDEM01USA156NWDB) from 1975 to 2019 about ratio, stock market, and USA.

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.

China's main stock market index, the SHANGHAI, fell to 3898 points on December 2, 2025, losing 0.42% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has declined 1.98%, though it remains 15.36% higher than a year ago, 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 December of 2025.

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.

Israel's main stock market index, the TA-125, rose to 3538 points on December 2, 2025, gaining 1.75% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has climbed 4.40% and is up 50.06% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from Israel. Israel Stock Market (TA-125) - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2025.

Key information about Argentina S&P MERVAL

• Argentina S&P MERVAL closed at 2,205,800.5 points in Feb 2025, compared with 2,564,659.0 points at the previous month end
• Argentina Equity Market Index: Month End: BCBA: S&P MERVAL data is updated monthly, available from Jun 1986 to Feb 2025, with an average number of 1,375.4 points
• The data reached an all-time high of 2,564,659.0 points in Jan 2025 and a record low of 0.0 points in Nov 1986

Key information about India Sensitive 30 (Sensex)

• India Sensitive 30 (Sensex) closed at 85,706.7 points in Nov 2025, compared with 83,938.7 points at the previous month end
• India Equity Market Index: Month End: BSE: Sensitive 30 (Sensex) data is updated monthly, available from Apr 1979 to Nov 2025, with an average number of 2,987.7 points
• The data reached an all-time high of 85,706.7 points in Nov 2025 and a record low of 115.6 points in Nov 1979

• In the latest reports, SENSEX recorded a daily P/E ratio of 23.2 in Dec 2025

Graph and download economic data for Stock Market Capitalization to GDP for China (DDDM01CNA156NWDB) from 2003 to 2020 about market cap, stock market, China, capital, and GDP.

Graph and download economic data for Rest of the World; Foreign Direct Investment in U.S.: Equity; Asset (Market Value), Level (BOGZ1FL263092141A) from 1945 to 2024 about FDI, market value, equity, assets, and USA.

In this table, we list major worldwide stock market crashes from 2007 to 2023. For each crash, we show its name, rough time of occurrence, stock index’s high and low, and in which country it occurred.

Prices for Global Equity Index including live quotes, historical charts and news. Global Equity Index was last updated by Trading Economics this December 2 of 2025.

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.