Etymology: L, macula, spot. 1 a small flat blemish or discoloration that is level with the skin surface. Examples are freckles and some rashes. Compare papule. 2 a gray scar on the cornea that is visible without magnification. macular, adj. Macule.
Stock Market. The stock market is the community of individuals and corporations engaged in the buying and selling of shares of companies, called stocks, on the open market. Shares of stock are traded on a stock exchange and are tracked on indices such as the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq. In the U.S., the stock market is commonly referred to as Wall Street, the eight-block region in lower Manhattan in New York where many of the nationâs major financial institutions are based.
At the close of 2012, the size of the world stock market (total market capitalisation) was about US$55 trillion. By country, the largest market was the United States (about 34%), followed by Japan (about 6%) and the United Kingdom (about 6%). These numbers increased in 2013.