As a collective whole, the stock exchanges in America are the largest in the world. They contribute 30 per cent to the market value of securities markets around the globe. The majority of securities trading is conducted on two stock exchanges in New York, ie, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation, better known as Nasdaq. Some 10,000-plus companies from myriad sectors and different parts of the world are listed on these two exchanges. Their combined market value amounts to about US$20 trillion. Given the large trading volume, the high liquidity and the tremendous variety, US stocks and other securities are the focus of investors globally.

1. NYSE (www.nyse.com) has been in business for over 225 years. More than 3,000 businesses from different sectors are listed on NYSE.
2. Nasdaq (www.nasdaq.com) was established in 1971 on the platform of all-electronic trading. More than 7,000 growth-oriented companies are listed on Nasdaq.

Global stock markets have been on the rise for the past eight years. On July 11, 2017, the leading indices of both US exchanges reached their historic high, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at 23,557.23 and the Nasdaq Composite at 6,795.52.

Technology giants such as Apple, Google and Microsoft continue to rank among the top 10 globally in terms of market value. In recent years, Internet businesses such as Facebook and Amazon continue to shine. On the other hand, the uptrend of interest rates will continue to dog banks and other financial services corporations, making it uncertain if they can regain favor among investors.