Ticker Tape

finance · history · technology · communication

The clickety-clack machine. The stock ticker got its name from the distinctive ticking sound it made while printing. The noise was so recognizable that people called it a ticker, and the paper it used became known as ticker tape.

Paper strips with prices. Ticker tape machines printed company names as letter symbols followed by numbers showing the stock price and how many shares were bought or sold. This let investors track market changes instantly instead of waiting for newspapers.

Telegraph wire technology. Stock tickers worked by receiving electrical signals through telegraph lines from stock exchanges. These signals controlled a printing mechanism that made marks on continuous paper strip running through the machine.

The financial revolution. From around 1870 to 1970, ticker tape was the fastest way to share stock information across the country. It connected traders and investors to live market data for the first time in history.

Parades and celebrations. Ticker tape became so famous that cities threw parades where buildings showered shredded ticker tape on celebrities and heroes. These confetti-like celebrations are still called ticker tape parades today, even though they now use different paper.