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A Beginners Guide To The Australian Stock ExchangeThe Australian Stock Exchange is the primary stock exchange in Australia which began as separate state-based exchanges established as early as 1871. Today trading is all-electronic and the exchange is also a public company which is listed on the exchange itself. The biggest stocks traded on the Australian Stock Exchange, in terms of their market capitalization, include BHP Billiton, Telstra, and the National Australia Bank. The mining sector makes up a relatively high proportion of the market, and relatively few manufacturing companies are listed. The main index is the S&P ASX 200 which is made up of the top 200 shares in the ASX. The previously significant All Ordinaries index still runs parallel to the S&P ASX 200. Both are commonly quoted together.
While the ASX regulates other listed companies listed on the ASX, it cannot regulate itself, and is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). At the end of 2004, 1515 stocks were listed on the Australian Stock Exchange with a total market capitalisation of $A991bn. This makes it the 8th largest world equity market, comprising around 2.2% of the MSCI world index. Would you like to watch a free stock trading video to help you make more money? You would! Great - then
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