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| Friday 12 May 2006: The first company to issue stocks |
| The first company to issue stocks was the Vereeningde Oostindische Compagnie (the Dutch East Indies Company), which was established on 20 March 1602. The VOC raised a capital of around 6.4 million guilders. The company was very successful for nearly 200 years thanks to several trade monopolies; it was dissolved on 17 March 1798 after going bankrupt. |