Stock markets are present in almost all countries and some countries do have more than one stock market. Take the case of India, which has the BSE and the NSE exchange which run independently of each other. Each and every country has its own story about its stock exchange and you have to make a research or proper homework before you invest in any stock market across the world. The stock market condition depends upon the overall economic situation of the country and so when the economic situation is good the stock market is on the positive and vice versa.

The oldest stock market is the UK stock market in Europe. It was started way back in the 17th century and was initially started to meet the needs of the Industrial Revolution and the expansion of the British Empire. Today the UK stock market is one among the top five stock markets of the world and it first in Europe.

In America we have the New York Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange. Wall Street houses the New York Stock Exchange which influences the economy of the Americans.

Japan has a very small economy and the second largest world stock market is housed in this country. Though the stock market was created in the 1870s it has grown and evolved since then and has seen many failures and successes in the centuries that followed.

Hong Kong first started trading in the 1860s and is technically part of China but has its own stock market. It is one of the largest and influential stock market and is quite popular with people across the world.

The French stock market is quite organized. It has launched Euronext which is a combination of stock exchanges of Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

The Indian stock market is made up of the NSE and BSE. The BSE is situated in Mumbai the financial hub of India.

Each and every stock market across the world is different and has different rules and regulations depending upon the law of that particular country. You have to take various conditions into your strategic plan before plunging in to the stock market. Knowledge about the county, its customs, its economic situation, its laws and regulations will give you a fair idea about the market and its opportunities. Risks are inevitable in any market so be careful while investing your hard earned money