Interesting fact about Apple[]
In the early 90's, under the management of Gil Amelio, Apple's stock collapsed to a 12-year low. In 1997, the sale of 1.5 million shares by an unknown person exacerbated the situation. It was later revealed that the mystery seller was Steve Jobs. After a strategic change, Jobs took over and Amelio left his position as CEO.
1. Origin of the word “stock exchange”
There are several theories about the origin of the term “stock exchange”. One of them connects it with the name of the Dutchman Van Der Buurs. In the 13th century in Bruges, he provided a space outside his house for transactions between merchants, mainly currency exchange. Interestingly, his family coat of arms depicted purses, which may have inspired the naming of the place of transactions.
2. Origin of the term “exchange”
The word “exchange” may derive from the Latin “bursa”, which translates to “leather pouch”. In many European languages, the word has similar roots. For example, in French “boursa” refers to both scholarship and stock exchange, in German “borse” and in Italian “borsa”.
3. Medieval Dormitories
During the Middle Ages, students without their own accommodation in Western Europe found shelter in special houses.
4. monkey investments
The 2009 edition of “Finance” conducted a test: a monkey who chose 8 cubes with stock companies outperformed 94% of professional managers in terms of profitability.
5. Interesting fact about stock exchange in China
In China, the concept of “stock exchange” is conveyed by the word “jiaoxuo”, which consists of two elements. The first part symbolizes the act of trading, the second part symbolizes the place where it takes place. Thus, the stock exchange in Chinese interpretation means “a place for trading”.
6. Difference between stock exchange and fair in Chinese and Russian
In both languages, there is no exact equivalent for the word “exchange”, instead the term “place for transactions” is used, which is clear to everyone, even without a financial background. Interestingly, “fair” and “exchange” in Chinese are similar - they differ by only one character, emphasizing their similarity.
7. An interesting case in the stock market
In 1999, a 15-year-old New Jersey teenager, Jonathan Lebed, was able to make up to $74k daily by trading stocks. Using Internet forums to influence the price of securities, he earned substantial sums until he was caught by the authorities. Despite his arrest, Lebed kept about $500k of his earnings.
Trade Secrets from Nosov: In the book “Neznayka on the Moon,” N. Nosov playfully describes the stock exchange. Market participants, called “cutthroats,” engage in noisy trading. To mitigate the shouting of brokers, trading is conducted on lake platforms. Exchange activity is presented through the prism of a fairy tale, but reflects realities: a loud participant often succeeds.
8. Kim Dotcom's investment move
In 2001, Kim Dotcom invested in a company on the verge of bankruptcy, buying €375k worth of shares. He announced his intention to invest an additional 50 million euros in it, which triggered a sharp rise in the value of the securities by 300%. Kim sold the shares a few days later, with a gain of over €1.5 million.
Investment Failure: He had no plans to invest and did not have 50 million to invest. Stock Collapse After Disaster After the crash of the space shuttle Challenger, the value of the securities of the companies involved in the shuttle program plummeted. By late afternoon, however, most stocks had recovered. The exception was Morton Thiokol - months later, an investigation revealed its culpability in the accident.
9. Division of Traders into “Bulls” and “Bears”
At the stock exchange it is customary to divide players into two groups related to animals - “bulls” and “bears”. These terms are taken from the former bloody spectacles in California, where bears and bulls fought each other. Bears usually hit with their claws from above and bulls hit with their horns from below, which was reflected in the symbolism of market sentiment.
Stock market bulls In the stock market, bulls are traders who bet on rising asset values. They buy securities in the hope of their future appreciation in order to sell them more expensively. The name comes from the way these animals attack by tossing upward with their horns, which symbolizes the desire for rising prices.
10. Description of “bears” in the financial market
“Bears” are investors who prefer falling asset values to profit. They initiate the sale of securities, causing prices to collapse and supply to increase. As a result, prices fall, forcing the rest of the market to sell assets as well. “Bears” use this moment to close their short positions and buy assets at the lowest prices.
11. The AP hack and stock market panic
In April 2013, the Associated Press Twitter account was hacked. Hackers sent out a message about the attack on the White House and Obama's injury. With an AP audience of millions, the news spread instantly. Many media outlets failed to verify the information, causing rumors of a terrorist attack to go around the world.
Update on the AP account situation After a few minutes of waiting, the Associated Press made an urgent announcement, denying reports of an incident involving President Obama. They clarified that their Twitter account had been attacked by malicious actors and warned that information published in the next half hour should be ignored. Nevertheless, concern has already begun among the public. The White House press conference opened with talk about the health of the head of state.
The financial markets are alarmed: A hacker group from Syria has claimed responsibility for what happened. There was a quick reaction on the stock market - a sharp decline in indices in a matter of seconds. Later, the situation stabilized when the cyberattack became known. Trading participants had to endure stress.