The Bombay Stock Exchange or BSE is the most popular oldest stock exchange in Asia. It has the largest number of listed companies in the world. It is located at the Dalal Street, Mumbai, India. It was founded in 1875 as an official organization known as 'The Native Share & Stock Brokers Association'. The BSE became the first stock exchange in 1956 and  to be recognized by the Indian Government.

The BSE Sensex was developed by Bombay Stock Exchange in 1986, giving the BSE a means to calculate overall performance of the exchange. In 2000 the BSE used this index to open its derivatives market, trading Sensex futures contracts.

On Aug, 2010, the equity market capitalization of the companies listed on the BSE was US$1.39 trillion, making it the 4th largest stock exchange in Asia and the 11th largest in the world.