CHICAGO STOCK EXCHANGE

formerly (1949-93) Midwest Stock Exchange, largest of the regional stock exchanges in the United States. The Chicago Stock Exchange was founded in 1882 to trade primarily local securities, particularly stocks and bonds of utility, banking, and railroad companies. In 1949 the exchange merged with those of St. Louis, Cleveland, and Minneapolis-St. Paul to form the Midwest Stock Exchange; the New Orleans Stock Exchange joined in 1959. In 1993 the name reverted to the Chicago Stock Exchange. The Chicago Stock Exchange offers trading in over 3,000 stocks, including New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, and NASDAQ (over-the-counter) issues along with stocks of many Chicago-area companies. It specializes in trading large blocks of stock for financial institutions, and its automated trading systems are marketed to exchanges throughout the world.