Stock Market Overview

Most important stock exchanges in the world.

Stock markets reflect economic development. The major stock indices contain the largest companies and show the economic strength of different regions. 

Which exchanges are there? What is being traded?

In the 15th century, the first stock exchange was opened. Since then, the number of stock exchanges has increased greatly. There is a stock exchange in almost every country in the world. In the picture you can see the most important stock exchanges in the world.

There are over 60 stock exchanges worldwide.

Most important stock indices in the world.

The largest companies in the industrialized countries are summarized in various stock indices. The indices differ in the number of companies they contain. Each index has its own entry requirements.

The picture shows the most important indices of the largest industrialized countries.

The indices cannot be traded directly on the stock exchanges. There are ETFs that track the respective index and are tradable.

What is being traded?

Different investment objects are traded on the world's stock exchanges. The offers differ in their characteristics. The cost structure is also very different in some cases.

Three investment properties are of interest to investors:

• Stocks
• ETFs
• Bonds

Approximately 40000-50000 companies are represented on the world's stock exchanges.

Individual indices and a wide variety of themes are combined in ETFs.

In 2020, more than 7600 ETFs were counted worldwide.

Summary

The world's major stock exchanges differ in size and trading volume, sometimes significantly.

Stock exchanges enable the buying and selling of company shares. Trading is mostly anonymous. Anyone wishing to participate in stock exchange trading must open a corresponding account with a bank or broker.