What Is the Dow Jones Industrial Average?

Written by Sam Levine, CFA, CMT
Fact-checked by Dayana Yochim
Edited by Carolyn Kimball

September 23, 2024

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a stock market index managed by S&P Dow Jones Indices that tracks the price performance of 30 U.S. publicly traded stocks.

Quick take: The stocks in the DJIA are chosen by a committee within S&P Dow Jones Indices. Its Index Committee considers a company’s reputation, sustained growth rate, and interest from investors before adding or dropping it from the index. Stocks in the transportation and utility sectors are excluded.

Tell me more! The DJIA was created by Charles Dow and first published in 1896. The index is calculated by summing the stock prices of all 30 companies and dividing the total by a factor that accounts for stock splits. That method biases the index toward higher-priced stocks; a 1% move in a $200 stock will affect the DJIA more than a 1% move in a $50 stock.

One more thing: Professionals are less reliant on the Dow Jones Industrial Average today because they view 30 companies as being too few to describe market action. The pros often prefer broader indices, such as the S&P 500. That may be splitting hairs. CNBC calculated that the two indices moved in the same direction 94% of the time over the past 15 years.

Bottom line: Though the Dow is frequently cited in the press, you will be more diversified if you invest in a broader index, such as the S&P 500 or the Russell 3000 (which includes mid- and small-cap stocks).

business Did you know?

The stocks within the DJIA have changed only 57 times since its beginning in 1896. General Electric was the last original index component until it was removed in 2018.

About the Editorial Team

Sam Levine, CFA, CMT

Sam Levine has over 30 years of experience in the investing field as a portfolio manager, financial consultant, investment strategist and writer. He also taught investing as an adjunct professor of finance at Wayne State University. Sam holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and the Chartered Market Technician designations and is pursuing a master's in personal financial planning at the College for Financial Planning. Previously, he was a contributing editor at BetterInvesting Magazine and a contributor to The Penny Hoarder and other media outlets.

Dayana Yochim

Dayana Yochim is a Senior Writer/Editor at Reink Media Group who has written about personal finance and investing for more than 20 years. Her work has appeared in outlets including HerMoney.com, NerdWallet and the Motley Fool, and has been syndicated nationally. Dayana has also been a guest expert on "Today" and Good Morning America.

Carolyn Kimball

Carolyn Kimball is a former managing editor for StockBrokers.com and investor.com. Carolyn has more than 20 years of writing and editing experience at major media outlets including NerdWallet, the Los Angeles Times and the San Jose Mercury News. She specializes in coverage of personal financial products and services, wielding her editing skills to clarify complex (some might say befuddling) topics to help consumers make informed decisions about their money.

What Is the Dow Jones Industrial Average?

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