NYSE vs. Nasdaq
The NYSE and the Nasdaq are the busiest and most important financial markets in the world. While the Nasdaq is mainly known for attracting technology and innovation, being home to cutting-edge digital, biotechnology, and other companies; companies listed on the NYSE include leaders from across all industries - from financials and healthcare to energy and industrials - and are perceived as more stable and well-established. Among the leading companies on the NYSE, the conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway boasts the highest market capitalization on the exchange and is the U.S. company with the most expensive shares. In addition, Johnson & Johnson, the third largest company on the NYSE, is the leading pharmaceutical company worldwide in terms market capitalization. Alternatively, the highest valued companies in the world are listed on the Nasdaq.
NYSE indices
Because the number of companies listed on the stock market is so remarkable, tracking the performance of these companies would be a challenging endeavor. To make things easier, a large number of stock market indices have emerged over the years. The main indices tend to include companies listed on different stock exchanges, like the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Many indices, on the other hand, analyze developments on single exchanges. The NYSE counts several indices, categorizing companies either by sector, size, or domicile. Among the main NYSE indices, the NYSE Composite Index is one of the most followed worldwide. Furthermore, the NYSE U.S. 100 Index tracks the prices of the largest U.S. stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange and contains the largest U.S. companies ranked by market capitalization. Similarly, the NYSE International 100 Index tracks the performance of the 100 largest non-U.S. stocks that are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.