Dow Jones Industrial Average
About Dow Jones Industrial Average
Created by Charles Dow, co-founder of Dow Jones and Company, on May 26, 1896. The original index included 12 industrial companies. The first value was 40.94. The index was designed to reflect the overall health of the stock market. General Electric was a founding member and remained in the index until 2018. The Dow crossed 1,000 in 1972, 10,000 in 1999, and 30,000 in 2020. Critics note that it includes only 30 stocks and uses a price weighted method that is less accurate than market capitalization weighted indices like the S&P 500.
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