U. S. Stock Market: 18th Century to Present

A visitor to Wall Street today will find a statue of Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton was the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. He was a key figure in bringing about the development of trade and exchanges while he was in office.

The stock market first came to life in the 18th century when the capital of the United States was New York City. Hamilton encouraged the idea of the stock market, and trading began at the corners of Broad Street and Wall Street. At first trading was limited to the United States government debt securities, but soon after it expanded to stocks. Before too long, it seemed that everyone was crowding in at the corner of these two streets to buy and sell. Disney stock has always been a popular stock. The New York Stock Exchange was born. Soon rivals to the New York Stock Exchanged reared their heads. One of those being the American Stock Exchange. The AMEX offered trading on other stocks.

If you aren’t familiar with buying stocks, you are familiar with the hollering and shouting that goes on at one of these exchanges. They are yelling out amounts, as well as lists of stocks that they want to buy or sell. This is a tradition that is practiced around the globe. The massive growth in the number of markets and investors soon brought the government onto the scene to regulate and protect the everyday investor. The Securities and Exchange Commission, commonly known as the SEC, oversees companies that issue shares of their market.

If you are thinking about getting involved in the stock market, it is something that you should seek expert advice about. Consult with a stock broker to get all the facts. Many people start a "My First Stock" program for children and grandkids. These make wonderful gifts. Many people also give stocks as gifts for different holidays and events in a person's life. Consider giving them for birthday's, Christmas and any other event. These stock certificates can be displayed on the wall of a child's bedroom or your spouces's office.

picture of walt disney stock

Gifts of stocks are available from many popular companies such as Harley-Davidson, Tiffany, Vermont Teddy Bear, Pixar and Peet's Coffee. Find out what the person enjoys and purchase stock from their favorite company. This is an excellent way to get a child investing early. Get the latest in stock market tools to stay up-to-date on the market changes.