Australian Securities Exchange Ltd, or ASX Limited (ASX), is an Australian public company that operates Australia's primary securities exchange, the Australian Securities Exchange (sometimes referred to outside of Australia as the Sydney Stock Exchange). Prior to December 2006 it was known as the Australian Stock Exchange, which was formed on 1 April 1987, incorporated under legislation of the Australian Parliament as an amalgamation of the six state securities exchanges. It merged with the Sydney Futures Exchange in 2006.