A stock index is a statistical composite, usually a number, which seeks to reflect changes in value and average yields of actions. Generally, the actions that make up the index have common characteristics such as belonging to a single stock exchange, have a market capitalization similar or belong to a same industry. These are usually used as a benchmark for various portfolios, such as mutual funds.

The oldest existing U.S. rate is now the Dow Jones Industrial Average, or simply known as Dow Jones. He himself was created by Charles Henry Dow in conjunction with the Wall Street Journal to measure the economic and financial activity in the United States of America in the late nineteenth century. At first I was composed of only 12 companies such as General Electric, North America Company, American Tobacco Company and others, while today is composed of 30 companies.

The world's major stock indices are:

     * Europe
           or Ibex 35 (Spain)
           or FTSE 100 (Great Britain)
           or CAC 40 (France)
           DAX 30 (Germany)

     * Asia
           or Nikkei 225 (Japan)
           and Hang Seng (Hong Kong)
           or KOSPI (South Korea)

     * America
           or Dow Jones (USA).
           or Nasdaq 100 (U.S.).
           or Bovespa (Brazil)
           or Merval (Argentina)

The Financial Ratios are factors or reasons that provide accounting and financial units of measurement and comparison, through which the ratio (division) between two of them direct financial data, analyze the current and past state of an organization, according to optimal levels set for it.

Referring to the comparison of data, it must meet certain conditions:

     * The financial data are related, must correspond to a moment or period in time.

     * There must be economic relationship, financial and administrative compare the amounts.

     * The units of measurement which are expressed in the amounts of data to link the two should be consistent with one another.

A stock exchange is a private organization that provides the necessary facilities for its members, taking the mandates of its clients, to undertake negotiations for sale of securities, including stocks of companies or limited companies, public and private bonds, certificates, diplomas participation and a wide range of investment instruments.

The negotiation of values in the stock markets is based on known prices and in real time, in a secure environment for the activity of investors, where the mechanism of the transactions is completely covered, giving a guarantee of legality and security.

Stock exchanges to strengthen the capital market and boost the economic and financial development in most countries of the world, where in some cases many years after the first such institutions established in the early years of seventeenth century.

Participants in the operation of stock exchanges are primarily plaintiffs capital (companies, public or private organizations and other entities), the suppliers of capital (savings, investments) and intermediaries.

Trading in securities on stock exchanges is done through the members of the Stock Exchange, usually known by the name of brokers, securities brokerage firms, brokerage firms, agents or agencies, according to the name given by the laws each country who make their work in exchange for a commission. In many markets, other organizations and individuals also have partial access to the stock market, as is known to all activities of primary and secondary market transaction and placement of securities issues of equity and fixed income.

To enter the stock exchange companies must make public their financial statements, and that through them you can identify the indicators to know the financial situation of the company.

Stock exchanges are regulated, supervised and controlled by national states, although most of them were based on pre-dates the establishment of the supervisory officers.

There are several types of markets: the money market or money market, the stock market, the market for options, futures and derivatives markets and products. They can fall into exchanges and markets desk.