The American Stock Exchange (AMEX), was the third largest stock exchange in the United States. NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange are larger, with more shares and more assets. The American Stock Exchange got its start more than 150 years ago, when a group of business men in New York did their trading on the streets, in the financial district.

The men held their meeting outdoors because they could not get into the exclusive New York Stock Exchange. The group of men went on to start their own stock exchange business and it was eventually called the American Stock Exchange. Operating with more than $565 billion in assets, it was purchased by the New York Stock Exchange EuroNext, in 2008. The name was changed to New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) AMEX Equities, to reflect the acquisition of the AMEX.http://www.money-zine.com/Investing/Stocks/American-Stock-Exchange/

The AMEX is sometimes considered to be in a specialized field because of their concentration in exchange traded funds EFT. The AMEX was started by the members of the street traders group and throughout its existence, it was owned by its members. In 2008, after record losses, The company was purchased by the NYSE for $260 million in stocks. The announcement of the acquisition was made on January 17, 2008 and it was completed on October 1, 2008.http://www.money-zine.com/Investing/Stocks/American-Stock-Exchange/

In 1849, the American Stock Exchange got its start on the streets of New York. The financial district was the meeting place for the early traders, who discussed their trades of stocks and bonds. These men held their meetings on the street corner because they were not able to meet the strict guidelines and requirements of the New York Stock Exchange. After years of meeting on the streets, in 1908, the men started their own exchange, and their own stocks on the books. They called it the New York Curb Agency.http://www.money-zine.com/Investing/Stocks/American-Stock-Exchange/

The Curb Agency continued to trade, by exchanging stocks and bonds, in 1929, during the depression, their name was changed, again, to the New York Curb Exchange. The Curb Exchange grew and they implemented rules that allowed them to form the American Stock Exchange, in 1953. The businesses and companies that were not able to trade on the NYSE were getting listed with the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), who had become a respected company, in their own right.http://www.money-zine.com/Investing/Stocks/American-Stock-Exchange/

After many years of doing business as the AMEX, in 1998, there was a merger with the National Association of Securities Dealers that lasted for less than five years. After regaining their independence in 2003, the AMEX was purchased by the New York Stock Exchange, EuroNext. http://www.money-zine.com/Investing/Stocks/American-Stock-Exchange/

• 1908 - The New York Curb Agency was formed

• 1929 - Name changed to New York Curb Exchange

• 1953 - Name change to American Stock Exchange

• 1998 - Merged with National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD)

• 2003 - Regained independence from NASD

• 2008 - Purchased by NYSE EuroNext and renamed NYSE AMEX Equities.http://www.money-zine.com/Investing/Stocks/American-Stock-Exchange/

AMEX

• New York Stock Exchange *NASDAQhttp://www.money-zine.com/Investing/Stocks/American-Stock-Exchange

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