This kind of trading is traditional and no longer practical especially that large volume of transactions happens almost every second from across the country and throughout the world.

Stock markets or exchanges facilitate the trade or exchanges of securities, including stock. There are two kinds of stock market, the primary and secondary. Primary market is where an initial public offering of stock is made. During an IPO, the company with which the stock is named is involved in the trading. Secondary market is where the issued or sold stock is re-sold, bought and sold again.

Stock trading involves large amounts of money and risks. It is important therefore that buyers and sellers of stock are well-informed about the standing of the stock before they make a transaction. They also have to investigate the reliability of the broker firm and other participants of the trading to ensure that the transaction is valid and offers the optimum result for the parties.

Because of the Internet and computers, informed decision-making regarding stock trading is possible. Online resources about stock movement and other essential factors influencing the stock are readily accessible and available.

Publicly traded companies trade their stock at different exchanges. These exchanges compete with one another in order to attract more stock enlistment. Their revenue comes from stock enlistment.

Company stocks are assigned ticker or trading symbol, usually three or four letters to distinguish them from other traded stock.

The different stock exchanges are good sources of information regarding the different publicly traded stocks. The exchanges in the U.S. are The American Stock Exchange; The Nasdaq Stock Market; The New York Stock Exchange; The Pacific Exchange; and The Philadelphia Exchange. These sites also give tips and guides about stock trading. To protect traders and investors, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission was established to oversee and regulate the trading of securities. Other stock exchanges in different countries are also set up where stocks of foreign companies and multi-national companies can be traded. Each country also has their own regulatory agency that oversees stock trading.

In the United States, the SEC is currently partnering with other government agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Reserve, and the General Attorney Offices in different states to investigate and sanction fraud and company theft. Corporate fraud and theft has become rampant and currently, more than several company executives and officials have been charged and sentenced.

The famous Bear Stearns Companies, for example, experienced financial crisis due to unprecedented downturn in the mortgage, housing, and financial markets. Two of Bear Stearns former executives were already found guilty of fraud and charged with several years of imprisonment. They were found defrauding clients and giving misleading information to investors.