<P> The Amsterdam Stock Exchange (or Amsterdam Beurs) is also said to have been the first stock exchange to introduce continuous trade in the early 17th century . The Dutch "pioneered short selling, option trading, debt - equity swaps, merchant banking, unit trusts and other speculative instruments, much as we know them ." </P> <P> Insurance companies were another way to mitigate risk . Insurance in one form or another has been around as far back as there are records . What differed about insurance going into the 16th and 17th centuries was that these informal mechanisms became formalized . </P> <P> Lloyd's of London came into being in 1688 in English coffee shops that catered to sailors, traders, and others involved in trade . Interestingly, Lloyd's coffeehouse published a newspaper, which gave news from various parts of the world, and helped the underwriters of the insurance at the coffeehouse to determine the risk . This innovation was one of many that allowed for the categorization of risk . Another innovation was the use of ship catalogs and classifications . </P> <P> Other forms of insurance began to appear as well . After the Great Fire of London, Nicholas Barbon began to sell fire insurance in 1667 . </P>

What was one result of the european commercial revolution