Measuring the market
A chart that explains the differences between three main stock market indices: the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite.
Features: | Features: | Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA): | Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA): | S&P 500 | S&P 500 | Nasdaq composite | Nasdaq composite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Features: | Number of stocks included | Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA): | 30 | S&P 500 | 500 | Nasdaq composite | 3,000+ |
Features: | Created in | Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA): | 1896 | S&P 500 | 1923 | Nasdaq composite | 1971 |
Features: | Composed of | Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA): | Large US companies that a committee has chosen for inclusion | S&P 500 | The largest US companies that meet certain criteria | Nasdaq composite | Most stocks that are listed on the Nasdaq exchange |
Features: | Weighted by | Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA): | Price | S&P 500 | Market capitalization | Nasdaq composite | Market capitalization |
Features: | Best for | Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA): | A widely followed measure of well-known companies | S&P 500 | A broad measure of the market's performance across sectors | Nasdaq composite | A view of the technology sector |
