Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat (Likud) was given the honor Monday night at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to ring the iconic bell that marks the closing of trading on the world's largest stock exchange.
Dozens of blue and white Israeli flags were hung in the main NYSE hall and those present cheered for Barkat. Lynn Martin, President of the Stock Exchange stood next to him.
Barkat said that it was a very emotional moment. "I am proud to stand here as a representative of the State of Israel in the most important and largest stock exchange in the world and to close trade. As I said when meeting with the NYSE heads, Israel is a strategic focus for investors, thanks to our distinct advantage in the field of technology, where the economic future of the world lies."
"As a former investor, I say to all investors in America – investing in Israel is the best investment that anyone can do. Those who invest in Israel will benefit immensely," he added.
The New York Stock Exchange is the largest stock exchange in the world by total company value, and the second-largest in terms of the number of companies traded on it, after the Nasdaq Stock Market.
As of 2022, 2,400 companies, with a total value of approximately 30 trillion dollars, are traded on the NYSE. Twenty-eight of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Index (the largest public companies in the US), are traded on the New York Stock Exchange. About half of the trading volume is conducted online. Nearly 100 Israeli companies are traded on the NYSE.