NASDAQ

NASDAQ (acronym for National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) is the largest U.S. electronic stock market. When it began trading on February 8, 1971, it was the world's first electronic stock market. With approximately 3,300 companies, it lists more companies and, on average, trades more shares per day than any other U.S. market.

NASDAQ is the primary market for trading NASDAQ-listed stocks. Approximately 54% of NASDAQ-listed shares traded are reported to NASDAQ systems. NASDAQ allows multiple market participants to trade through its electronic communications networks (ECNs) structure thereby increasing competition.