The New York Stock Exchange traces its origins 200 years ago. After centuries of growth and innovation, the NYSE remains the world's leading securities exchange. Over the years its commitment to investors has been constant and its persistent application of the latest technologies has allowed it to maintain an unparalleled level of market quality and service. The NYSE has grown into today's global market. Auctions take place every day on the trading floor of the NYSE. Open offers and offers are handled on the NYSE.com trading floor page by exchange members acting on behalf of institutions and individual investors. Buy and sell orders for each listed security are met directly on the trading floor at assigned locations. The NYSE trading floor contains 20 posts with more than 400 trading positions. Prices are determined through supply and demand. Stock buy and sell orders pass through a single location ensuring that the investor, no matter how large or small, is exposed to a wide range of buyers and sellers. The NYSE is an agency auction market. This means that the bottom line is that trading on the NYSE occurs through open offers by members of the exchange, who act as agents for institutions or individual investors. A member firm is a company or individual that owns a "seat" on the trading floor. Only associated companies can buy and sell securities on the f market...