This account of the sophisticated financial hub that was 17th-century Amsterdam “does a fine job of bringing history to life” (Library Journal). The launch of the Dutch East India Company in 1602 initiated Amsterdam’s transformation from a regional market town into a dominant financial center. The Company introduced easily transferable shares, and within days buyers had begun to trade them. Soon the public was engaging in a variety of complex transactions, including forwards, futures, options, and bear raids, and by 1680 the techniques deployed in the Amsterdam market were as sophisticated as any we practice today. Lodewijk Petram’s award-winning history demystifies financial instruments by linking today’s products to yesterday’s innovations, tying the market’s operation to the behavior of individuals and the workings of the world around them. Traveling back in time, Petram visits the harbor and other places where merchants met to strike deals. He bears witness to the goings-on at a notary’s office and sits in on the consequential proceedings of a courtroom. He describes in detail the main players, investors, shady characters, speculators, and domestic servants and other ordinary folk, who all played a role in the development of the market and its crises. His history clarifies concerns that investors still struggle with today—such as fraud, the value of information, trust and the place of honor, managing diverging expectations, and balancing risk—and does so in a way that is vivid, relatable, and critical to understanding our contemporary world.

Resource added for the Financial Institutions Management program 101144.

First published in 1987, this is a reissue of the first book to offer a detailed comparison of two of the foremost stock exchanges in world before 1914. It is not only an exercise in comparative economic history but it also relates these institutions to wider world markets, thereby clarifying their functions and how they related to the general financial and economic framework. Students and researchers in economic and social history will welcome the reissue of this groundbreaking account of two historically important institutions in a crucial period of their development. Financial practitioners and others will also find much of interest here, in terms of both fascinating history and of insights into an era when a global market was rapidly evolving largely free of the twentieth-century distortions and hindrances introduced by wars, interventionist governments and exchange controls.

Research and Information Guides in Business, Industry, and Economic Institutions series will bridge the gap between classical forms of literature and new alternative formats. Each guide will be devoted to an industry, a profession, a managerial process, or a field of study. This guide to information resources on the American Stock Exchange is not intended to be a detailed history of the Amex. It does cover the literature of the Exchange from 1900 through 1993. Research methodology included searching of major cataloging systems, reviewing of print and electronic indexes, and summarizing of publications in the American Stock Exchange library. All publications identified were read and summarized.

The stock market—the virtual place where corporations raise capital—has come to symbolize business more profoundly than any other entity or institution. This book provides a glimpse into the history, development, regulation, and increasing importance that the stock market plays in business and economic growth, as well as the investment strategies of individuals—in the U.S. and around the world, including Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, and emerging markets in the developing world that are rapidly integrating into the global economy. To explore the roles and workings of the stock market, the authors trace its evolution from its origins on Wall Street in the 1700s to the present, and examine the varied ways in which it is used to generate economic value. From initial public offerings (IPOs) to hedge funds to American Depository Receipts (ADRs) to options and more, the authors go beyond basic stocks and bonds to highlight the development and current applications of a wide variety of financial instruments that are used to raise capital. Featuring examples, graphics, illustrations, glossary, index, and references and on-line resources, this volume offers an accessible and engaging introduction to the world of investment and corporate finance, while illuminating one of the icons of capitalism.