What is the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)?

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the largest stock exchange in the world. It is a marketplace for investors to buy and sell publicly traded stocks and securities. The NYSE uses an auction-based system to connect buyers and sellers. Get the latest tips you need to manage your money — delivered to you biweekly.

What were the first shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange?

The Bank of North America, along with the First Bank of the United States and the Bank of New York, were the first shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1817, the stockbrokers of New York, operating under the Buttonwood Agreement, instituted new reforms and reorganized.

Where is the NYSE located?

The NYSE's headquarters is located on Wall Street in New York City, which is home to the exchange's iconic physical trading floor. The NYSE provides a central marketplace for buyers and sellers to trade shares of stock in public companies — about $18.9 billion a day, to be exact.

What stocks are traded on the NYSE?

The exchange lists many of the world's biggest companies, with sectors including technology, healthcare, energy, financial services, and more. In fact, you'll find that much of the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average traded on the NYSE. The NYSE facilitates the trade of corporate stocks and other securities.