In April 2007 (“NASDAQ Entering Russian Stock Market?”) I wrote about the OMX Group's (STO:OMX) plans to establish IXSP – a new Russian stock exchange that is targeted towards small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs). It seems that this process is accelerating. Now the IXSP has its own web-site – a very nice but simple one, listing major ideas that the promoters are planning to execute.Speaking of the institutions promoting the new exchange, they are:

The Saint-Petersburg Stock Exchange (SPBEX), the third largest stock exchange in Russia, and OMX, which has created the RX consortium of international investors focused on Russia.

“Jittery” can best describe the market in January 2007. Anxiety over the impact of the sanctions, under United Nations’ Resolution1737, was prevalent among investors. This, coupled with a rise in sell orders by investors to realize quick gains following significant price hikes in some sectors over the last few months, drove the market into a virtual shock mode.

Jakarta - The Indonesia Stock Exchange halted trading on Wednesday after the benchmark composite index plunged 10.38 percent on fears about the global financial crisis.

"This closure was to prevent a further downfall of shares as well as aimed at calming down market players," MS Sembiring, director of commerce at the Indonesian Bourse Exchange (BSI) was quoted as saying by detik. com online news portal.

The Indonesian Composite Index stood at 1,451.669 points when trading was halted at about 11:08 am (0408 GMT), after falling by 168.052 points or 10.38 per cent.

The decline was driven by huge drops in commodities stocks. The index has fallen more than 20 percent in three days. (dpa)

The economy is exploding and a burgeoning middle class in India is thriving and lapping up all the goodies that it can buy.
Bombay has always been the Financial and Commercial Capital of India. Delhi may be the political one, and Bangalore can be the Silicon Alley of India, but the real money power lies in Bombay.
And that’s because of our Stock Exchange. Like the NYSE, which so defines NYC to be what it is, so does BSE.
It all started in the 1850’s when…….

The London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange is all hustle and bustle on a busy day. Founded in 1982, LIFFE contributes to London's status as one of the world's leading financial centers.

(Photograph shot on assignment for, but not published in, "London on a Roll," June 2000, National Geographic magazine)