The Buenos Aires Stock Exchange is the primary market in Argentina for trading stocks, currency, and other securities. Known in Spanish as the Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires or BCBA, the exchange has existed since 1854, when it was established to replace an earlier financial market. All major companies in Argentina are traded on this exchange and commerce is conducted in both the Argentine Peso and the United States Dollar.
Like other stock exchanges, the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange provides a forum for trading, buying, selling, and exchanging securities, allowing traders who operate at various levels to participate in the market. This includes brokers placing orders on behalf of other people, as well as individual traders and institutions interested in being active in the stock market. People must register to participate and are required to abide by certain rules established by the board to continue trading.
The board of directors on this nonprofit stock exchange includes representatives of major industries in Argentina who are interested in promoting lively trade of stocks and other securities. The operating hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time and people can take advantage of electronic trading opportunities, as well as floor trading. At the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange, there are also classes and other educational opportunities for traders and members of the general public.
The most important stock index in the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange is the mercado del valores or MERVAL, listing stocks in Argentina's largest and most important companies. This index is used as an economic indicator to judge the health of the Argentine economy, as well as to evaluate how robust trading is on a given day or over a particular time period. Listings for this and other indexes are available through the exchange, as well as financial publications that track the operations of the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange.
Sources for information on the volume and direction of trading in this exchange can include the exchange's website, as well as financial magazines and other publications interested in stock exchanges in the Americas. Some organizations track performance across Latin America specifically, while others may look at North, South, and Central American financial markets to gather information about economic well-being in this region. Because economic conditions can change rapidly, it is important to establish the date and time for quoted information in order to place it in context and ensure that it is as recent as possible.