The essay analyzes comparatively three ethnographies whose common point lies in the field work space: stock markets, which are central entities in implementing global markets nowadays. Financial institutions in São Paulo, Chicago, London and Shanghai hosted these ethnographic projects. The reflection written here embraces the basic assumption of ethnography as a constitutive element of anthropological knowledge construction, in other words, it is not restricted to a methodology. In this sense, the essay seeks to make evident how the content of that mentioned trio of ethnographies open possibilities for thinking about both classical and contemporary disciplinary themes, among them, the gift rituals, the global economy, religion and emotions. In this effort, care-giving is evident in aspects of gender, as ethnographies are signed by three women. Moreover, some attention is dedicated to East-West and North-South relationship, as shown by the anthropological papers involved have been given in different locations worldwide.