The London Stock Exchange is one of the oldest stock exchanges in the world, dating back to its foundation in 1571.

1. THE LONDON STOCK
EXCHANGE: EARLY HISTORY

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Today it is part of the London Stock Exchange Group,
which includes Borsa Italiana, following a 2007 merger.
The market capitalisation of the London Stock Exchange
stood at $4.59 trillion (USD) as of the start of the 2018
financial year.
COFFEE HOUSE ROOTS
While the Royal Exchange dates to 1571, stockbrokers were
not allowed to trade here during the 17th century as they
were thought to have rude manners. Therefore, they ope­
The London Stock
Exchange: Early
History
The London Stock
Exchange is one of the
oldest stock exchanges in
the world, dating back to
its foundation in 1571.

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rated from a series of coffee houses instead, most notably the
premises known as Jonathan’s Coffee-House. It was here that
the broker John Casting began to list exchange rates and the
prices of various common commodities a few days per week.
THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON
The Great Fire of London destroyed the original Royal
Exchange building, which was later rebuilt in 1669, moving
stockbrokers away from the coffee houses. Brokers, merchants
and merchandise were housed within the new building. This
was the dawn of regulation for the stock market, with heavy
penalties imposed on unlicensed brokers from 1697.

4. Today’s stock market is very different – you
can learn about Direct Market Access by
visiting the blog of Lenn Mayhew Lewis.