You have been asked to write a report for a group of new stock brokers about the American Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ.

American Stock Exchange (also called the Curb) is the second-largest stock exchange in the U.S., after the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The AMEX started as an alternative to the NYSE. It originated when brokers began meeting on the curb outside the NYSE in order to trade stocks that failed to meet the Big Board's stringent listing requirements, but the AMEX now has its own trading floor. In 1998 the parent company of the NASDAQ …

…Stock Exchange. Retrieved July 12, 2006 from http://www.amex.com/ The NASDAQ Stock Market. Retrieved July 12, 2006 from http://www.nasdaq.com/ MCI WorldCom. Retrieved July 13, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldCom Bernstein, Litowitz, Berger & Grossmann (2006). BLB&G and Lead Plaintiff the New York State Common Retirement Fund Recover Over $6.15 Billion - Second Largest Recovery in History - for WorldCom Investors. Retrieved July 13, 2006 from http://www.blbglaw.com/cases/worldcom_securities.html