Thomas Edison is credited as the inventor of an early stock ticker. He was an American inventor and businessman who developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. He also created the world's first industrial research laboratory. In 1871, Edison invented the stock ticker, which was used to transmit stock prices over telegraph lines. This invention revolutionized the stock market and allowed for more efficient trading.