BSE Trading

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE India) is the oldest stock exchange in Asia and the first in India. Established in 1875 as an AOP (Association of Persons), BSE India is now a corporatised and demutualised entity incorporated under the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956. With demutualisation, BSE India has Deutsche Börse and Singapore Stock Exchange as its strategic partners, two of world's best managed stock exchanges providing BSE live updates to the investors in their countries. The equity market capitalization of the companies listed on the BSE was US$1.63 trillion as of December 2010, making it the 4th largest stock exchange in Asia and the 8th largest in the world. The BSE has the largest number of listed companies in the world.

Today, BSE India is the world's number one stock exchange in terms of the number of listed companies and the world's fifth in transaction numbers. The market capitalization as on August 31, 2009 stood at USD 1.09 trillion. For easy reference, a stock listed on the BSE India is classified into A, B, S, T and Z groups. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE India) also offers electronic trading system called BOLT providing BSE live stock prices.


The launch of SENSEX in 1986 was later followed up in January 1989 by introduction of BSE National Index (Base: 1983-84 = 100). It comprised 100 stocks listed at five major stock exchanges in India - Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Madras. The BSE National Index was renamed BSE-100 Index from October 14, 1996 and since then, it is being calculated taking into consideration only the prices of stocks listed at BSE. BSE launched the dollar-linked version of BSE-100 index on May 22, 2006. BSE launched two new index series on 27 May 1994: The 'BSE-200' and the 'DOLLEX-200'. BSE-500 Index and 5 sectoral indices were launched in 1999. In 2001, BSE launched BSE-PSU Index, DOLLEX-30 and the country's first free-float based index - the BSE TECk Index. Over the years, BSE shifted all its indices to the free-float methodology (except BSE-PSU index) of stock tips. BSE disseminates information on the Price-Earnings Ratio, the Price to Book Value Ratio and the Dividend Yield Percentage on day-to-day basis of all its major indices. The values of all BSE indices are updated on real time basis during market hours and displayed through the BOLT system, BSE website and news wire agencies. All BSE Indices like trade 4 target are reviewed periodically by the BSE Index Committee. This Committee which comprises eminent independent finance professionals frames the broad policy guidelines for the development and maintenance of all BSE indices. The BSE Index Cell carries out the day-to-day maintenance of all indices and conducts research on development of new indices.