General Motors is making a move it has not made in more than a century. The carmaker will leave the New York Stock Exchange and list its shares on Nasdaq instead, starting November 17.
The ticker will stay the same. The company will still trade as GM. Shareholders do not need to do anything.
So why does a change of stock exchange matter? Because GM is trying to change how investors see it. It no longer wants to be judged only as an old car company. It wants to be seen as a technology company too.
What Happened
GM announced on October 27 that it will transfer its common stock listing from the NYSE to the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Trading on the NYSE will continue through the close on November 16. Nasdaq trading is expected to begin the next day, November 17.
The company’s board approved the move the day before the announcement. GM said the GM ticker will not change, and existing shareholders do not need to take any action.
The switch is a big symbolic break. GM first listed on the NYSE in 1911, and it returned to the exchange in 2010 after its bankruptcy reorganisation. Leaving now ends a relationship that, with that interruption, stretches back 115 years.
Why It Happened
GM’s chief financial officer, Paul Jacobson, tied the move to the company’s direction. He said GM’s customer-focused, technology-driven strategy is creating value for shareholders, and described Nasdaq as a natural home for the listing as the company grows.
That strategy covers more than building cars. It includes software, driver-assistance features such as Super Cruise, connected services through OnStar, and electric vehicles. Nasdaq is best known as the home of large technology companies, so listing there fits the image GM wants.
There is also a practical reason. A Nasdaq listing makes GM eligible for possible inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 Index, which tracks 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on Nasdaq. Inclusion is not automatic, and GM has not announced that it will join the index. But eligibility alone opens the door to buying from funds that track the index.
Key figures
- NYSE trading through: close on November 16, 2026
- Nasdaq trading expected from: November 17, 2026
- Ticker after the move: GM (unchanged)
- First NYSE listing: 1911; relisted in 2010
- Share move on announcement day (October 27): up about 5.5%, with a further gain of about 2.4% the next day
- Market value around the announcement: about $64.4 billion; shares closed at $76.31 on Monday, October 26
Why It Matters
A stock exchange listing does not change what a company makes or how much money it earns. GM will still build the same cars, employ the same workers, and face the same costs the day after the move.
What it can change is who notices the stock. Index funds that follow the Nasdaq-100 can only buy companies listed on Nasdaq. If GM ever joins that index, those funds would need to buy its shares. That kind of steady, automatic demand is one reason companies care about index membership.
It can also change the comparison set. On the NYSE, GM sits next to many banks, energy companies, and industrial firms. On Nasdaq, it sits next to technology companies. That may help some investors value its software and driver-assistance work more highly — but it can also invite tougher comparisons with companies that grow much faster.
GM is not the first big company to make this jump. Walmart, DoorDash, and Palantir have all moved to Nasdaq in recent years for similar reasons, including index eligibility and brand visibility.
What Happens Next
The next test is simple: does the November 17 transfer go smoothly, and does anything else follow? Watch for any update on Nasdaq-100 eligibility, which is decided by the index provider, not by GM itself. Also watch GM’s hybrid plans — the company is preparing its Lansing plant for future hybrid versions of popular SUVs — because those product decisions will matter far more for profits than the exchange name on the stock ticker.
Final Thoughts
This is a branding and market-structure story, not a new car launch. GM is betting that being listed alongside technology companies will help investors see its software, driver-assistance, and electric-vehicle work more clearly. The move costs shareholders nothing and changes no shares they own. Whether it changes how the market values GM will take much longer than one trading day to judge.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
Sources: CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/27/gm-nasdaq-nyse-stock-listing.html ; GM Authority, https://gmauthority.com/blog/2026/10/gm-moving-stock-listing-from-nyse-to-nasdaq/
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