Joseph Penso de la Vega, best known as Joseph de la Vega (born ca.1650, in Espejo, Spain — died November 13, 1692), was a successful merchant, poet, and philanthropist residing in 17th century Amsterdam. He became famous for his 1688 masterpiece "Confusion of Confusions"', the oldest book ever written on the stock exchange business.

Though not a descriptive account of the process of stock trading, Penso presented the history of speculation in stocks and acquainted the reader with the sophisticated financial instruments used. The dialogue format allowed the reader to understand the respective perspectives of the various market participants and the intricacies of speculation and trading. The book is written in Spanish; its original title is Confusión de Confusiones.

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