AMEX is the American Stock Exchange. AMEX is sometimes called the Curb, a name that refers to its roots in the informal gathering of stockbrokers on the curb of Broad Street in the financial district to trade shares of companies that did not meet the stringent listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE. Even today, AMEX tends to be the exchange of choice for smaller firms that might not be able to list elsewhere. The AMEX pioneered the Exchange Traded Fund, or ETF, and is also an important options exchange. In 1998, the AMEX merged with the National Associate of Securities Dealers, or NASD, which also operates NASDAQ. Together with the NYSE and NASDAQ, the AMEX is one of the three major US stock exchanges. AMEX, or AmEx, is also often used as an abbreviation for American Express, the financial services company. |
