Nasdaq
In short
An American stock exchange based in Manhattan that operates as a fully electronic marketplace. It is the largest stock exchange in the world by total market value.
In plain words
It is a digital place where people buy and sell shares of companies. Unlike older markets, it does not use a physical trading floor and relies entirely on computers.
A simple example
If you want to buy shares in a major technology company like Apple or Microsoft, you would likely trade them on the Nasdaq.
Why it matters
It is a key indicator of how the technology and growth sectors are performing. Because many big tech firms are listed here, its movement affects global economies.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse the Nasdaq exchange with the Nasdaq Composite, which is the specific index that tracks its stock prices.