What is the purpose of the stock market bell?

Question

Whenever I see the stock market on tv, there is always a bell ringing. What is it's purpose? Why are there always people clapping?

Answer 1

as mentioned, it's the opening and closing bell for trading. the reason you see people clapping and stuff like that is because they often make the ringing of the bell ceremonial by having special guests/dignitaries/etc ring the bell.  for example, it's typical for the CEO/founder/etc of a company having it's IPO that day to ring the opening bell.

Answer 2

It signifies the beginning and end of trading for the day, sort of like school bells.  And its also a ceremonial act.

Answer 3

The bell symbolizes the closing of the market. I'm not sure why people clap. They clap whether the broad markets close up or down.

Answer 4

That's the Opening or Closing bell.

it rings in the market open at 09:30 and rings out the close at 16:00

during opening hours, all market participants are expected to operate and quote on their respective instruments and it's the time when liquidity is best (as opposed to the pre and after-market trading time)