NYSE
History of the American Stock Exchange™
The American Stock Exchange has a long and colorful history. Originally known as "curbstone brokers," the ancestors of today's NYSE MKT and NYSE Amex Options market professionals traded out in the street in all kinds of weather – in the rain and snow, and in the dog days of summer.
NYSE welcomed the historic American Stock Exchange into its group of exchanges in 2008. This union significantly enhanced NYSE's scale in U.S. options, exchange traded funds (ETFs), closed-end funds, structured products and cash equities. In addition, the combined company:
- Enables NYSE to operate a compelling dual market structure making available to all customers the choice of price-time priority on NYSE Arca and the Amex's traditional market-maker model;
- Provides additional volume to NYSE's robust U.S. options business;
- Operates a third, complementary U.S. cash equities exchange, in addition to the NYSE and NYSE Arca;
- Strengthens NYSE Arca's leadership position in ETF listing and trading;
- Offers a leading venue for listing and trading closed-end funds and structured products.