The New York Stock Exchange is a symbol of international economic power and dynamism that draws the attention of financial observers worldwide.

For that reason, it is perhaps significant that, next week, the bell signalling the end of trading at the NYSE will be rung remotely from an intellectual property business event.

Each day, the bell is rung to mark the end of trading at the NYSE. Only on rare occasions does this happen remotely - next week's event will be only the fourth time in 2011.

On June 21, 500 delegates at the IP Business Congress, set to take place at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, will be handed small bells, which they will ring simultaneously to mark the end of the day's trading.

The event will be screened live across the world, according to organizers.

Joff Wild, editor-in-chief of the IP Media Group, which is organizing the event, said his organization is "honored" to be chosen as a venue for ringing the NYSE bell, "particularly as remote closings such as this are relatively rare events."

According to Wild, the event "shows just how far intellectual property has emerged as one of the 21st century's pivotal business assets."