Dow Jones Today Now Chart

Dow Jones Industrial Average: An Overview

Introduction

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), also known as the Dow, is a stock market index that measures the performance of 30 of the largest publicly traded companies in the United States. It is one of the most widely followed stock market indices in the world and is considered a barometer of the overall health of the US economy.

History of the Dow Jones Industrial Average

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was created by Charles Dow and Edward Jones in 1896. It originally consisted of 12 companies, but has since been expanded to include 30 companies. The Dow is calculated by dividing the total market value of the 30 companies by the Dow Divisor, which is a number that is adjusted to keep the Dow's value consistent over time.