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The current Stock Market as we know it was first formed in 1598 when Dutch merchants decided to create the biggest shipping company in the world, to monopolize the shipping trade.The first Shares of stock where sold to investors in 1602.

They publicly offered shares in their new venture to any and all who had the means to buy them (cost was 3000 Guilders). Promising their investors a "SHARE" in the companies profits, also known as a "DIVIDEND".

The new company was called the DUTCH East India Company ticker symbol "VOC".

The VOC reined supreme for 198 years paying an average dividend of 18% and a high of 75% in 1606. It finally succumbed to greed, corruption and mismanagement December 31, 1799.

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13y ago

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