The value of the DJIA index amounted to 43,191.24 at the end of March 2025, up from 21,917.16 at the end of March 2020. Global panic about the coronavirus epidemic caused the drop in March 2020, which was the worst drop since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. Dow Jones Industrial Average index – additional information The Dow Jones Industrial Average index is a price-weighted average of 30 of the largest American publicly traded companies on New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, and includes companies like Goldman Sachs, IBM and Walt Disney. This index is considered to be a barometer of the state of the American economy. DJIA index was created in 1986 by Charles Dow. Along with the NASDAQ 100 and S&P 500 indices, it is amongst the most well-known and used stock indexes in the world. The year that the 2018 financial crisis unfolded was one of the worst years of the Dow. It was also in 2008 that some of the largest ever recorded losses of the Dow Jones Index based on single-day points were registered. On September 29th of 2008, for instance, the Dow had a loss of 106.85 points, one of the largest single-day losses of all times. The best years in the history of the index still are 1915, when the index value increased by 81.66 percent in one year, and 1933, year when the index registered a growth of 63.74 percent.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index dropped around 8,000 points in the four weeks from February 12 to March 11, 2020, but has since recovered and peaked at 44,910.65 points as of November 24, 2024. In February 2020 - just prior to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the DJIA index stood at a little over 29,000 points. U.S. markets suffer as virus spreads The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a turbulent period for stock markets – the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also recorded dramatic drops. At the start of February, some analysts remained optimistic that the outbreak would ease. However, the increased spread of the virus started to hit investor confidence, prompting a record plunge in the stock markets. The Dow dropped by more than 3,500 points in the week from February 21 to February 28, which was a fall of 12.4 percent – its worst percentage loss in a week since October 2008. Stock markets offer valuable economic insights The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a stock market index that monitors the share prices of the 30 largest companies in the United States. By studying the performance of the listed companies, analysts can gauge the strength of the domestic economy. If investors are confident in a company’s future, they will buy its stocks. The uncertainty of the coronavirus sparked fears of an economic crisis, and many traders decided that investment during the pandemic was too risky.

View data of the S&P 500, an index of the stocks of 500 leading companies in the US economy, which provides a gauge of the U.S. equity market.

The statistic shows the development of the MSCI World USD Index from 1986 to 2024. The 2024 year-end value of the MSCI World USD index amounted to 3,707.84 points. MSCI World USD index – additional information The MSCI World Index, developed by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), is one of the most important stock indices. It includes stocks from developed countries all over the world and is regarded as benchmark of global stock market. According to MSCI, this index covers about 88 percent of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country. As seen on the statistics above, in 2024, MSCI World USD index reported its highest value since 1986 amounting, a threefold increase from the figure recorded in 2013, when the year-end value of the MSCI World index was equal to 1,161.07. Along with the S&P Global Broad Market, the MSCI World is one of the most important global stock market performance indexes. Aside of including markets around the globe, these two indexes are global in a sense that they disregard where the companies are domiciled or traded, whereas other important indexes such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Japanese index Nikkei 225, Wilshire 5000, the NASDAQ 100 index, have different approaches.

The Dow Jones Composite Index finished the year 2024 at 13,391.71 points, an increase compared to the previous year. Even with the economic effects of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2021 had the highest point of the index in the past two decades. What is Dow Jones Composite Index? The Dow Jones Composite Index is one of the indices from the Dow Jones index family. It is composed of 65 leading U.S. companies: 30 stocks forming the Dow Jones Industrial Average index, 20 stocks from the Dow Jones Transportation index and 15 stocks from the Dow Jones Utility Average index. Importance of stock indices A stock market index shows an average performance of companies from a given section of the market. It is usually a weighted average, meaning that such factors as price of companies or their market capitalization are taken into consideration when calculating the index value. Stock indices are very useful for the financial market participants, as they instantly show the sentiments prevailing on a given market. They are also commonly used as a benchmark against portfolio performance, showing if a given portfolio has outperformed, or underperformed the market.

Chile Index: Santiago Stock Exchange: IGPA data was reported at 36,827.949 30Dec1980=100 in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 36,133.048 30Dec1980=100 for Jan 2025. Chile Index: Santiago Stock Exchange: IGPA data is updated monthly, averaging 14,324.880 30Dec1980=100 from Mar 1992 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 396 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 36,827.949 30Dec1980=100 in Feb 2025 and a record low of 2,662.000 30Dec1980=100 in Apr 1993. Chile Index: Santiago Stock Exchange: IGPA data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Santiago Stock Exchange. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Chile – Table CL.Z001: Santiago Stock Exchange: Index. Co-branding between S & P Dow Jones Indices (S & P DJI) and Santiago Stock Exchange has been effective as of August 6, 2018. Calculation and maintenance of the index will be taken over by S & P pursuant to the Operating Agreement and Index Licensing signed by both parties in August 2016. Historical values and components of the index will not be modified to maintain continuity.

The main stock market index in China (SHANGHAI) increased 22 points or 0.66% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from China. China Shanghai Composite Stock Market Index - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

In 2024, stock markets in the United States accounted for roughly 60 percent of world stocks. The next largest country by stock market share was Japan, followed by the United Kingdom. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ are the largest stock exchange operators worldwide. What is a stock exchange? The first modern publicly traded company was the Dutch East Industry Company, which sold shares to the general public to fund expeditions to Asia. Since then, groups of companies have formed exchanges in which brokers and dealers can come together and make transactions in one space. Stock market indices group companies trading on a given exchange, giving an idea of how they evolve in real time. Appeal of stock ownership Over half of adults in the United States are investing money in the stock market. Stocks are an attractive investment because the possible return is higher than offered by other financial instruments.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted significant points losses due to the global impact of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. With stocks falling sharply, the Dow recorded its worst single-day points drop ever, plunging 2,997 points – nearly 13 percent – on March 16, 2020.

Boeing stock hits turbulence The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a stock market index that tracks the share prices of the top 30 U.S. companies. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, firms heavily dependent on travel and tourism had a particularly difficult start to the year. Due to lower production rates and the suspension of flights in the first quarter of 2020, Boeing’s revenue dropped to 16.9 billion U.S. dollars – this represented a year-on-year decline of 26 percent. However, in the second quarter of 2020, Boeing was one of the leading stocks in the DJIA index. Shares were boosted by the relaxing of travel restrictions and greater passenger confidence in flying.

Comparing market collapses Index points represent changes in the collective value of the 30 stocks in the DJIA, providing the general direction of the market. March 2020 was one of the most volatile months in the history of the stock index. Not only did the market record significant losses, but it also saw dramatic one-day points gains. Percentages can also be used to gain a deeper understanding of the true value gained or lost on the market. The largest single-day percentage loss in the history of the Dow remains ‘Black Monday’ in October 1987.

The Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index is an index of 500 leading publicly traded companies in the United States. In 2021, the index value closed at 4,766.18 points, which was the second highest value on record despite the economic effects of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In 2023, the index values closed at 4,769.83, the highest value ever recorded. What is the S&P 500? The S&P 500 was established in 1860 and expanded to its present form of 500 stocks in 1957. It tracks the price of stocks on the major stock exchanges in the United States, distilling their performance down to a single number that investors can use as a snapshot of the economy’s performance at a given moment. This snapshot can be explored further. For example, the index can be examined by industry sector, which gives a more detailed illustration of the economy. Other measures Being a stock market index, the S&P 500 only measures equities performance. In addition to other stock market indices, analysts will look to other indicators such as GDP growth, unemployment rates, and projected inflation. Similarly, since these indicators say something about the economic future, stock market investors will use these indicators to speculate on the stocks in the S&P 500.

Both the Dow Jones Global ESG Select Real Estate Securities (RESI) and the Dow Jones Global Select RESI indices underperformed when compared to the S&P 1200 index as of October 2022. By design, the RESI indices aim to track the performance of direct real estate investment by including real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate operating companies (REOCs) traded worldwide. The Dow Jones Global Select ESG RESI includes the same constituents as the The Dow Jones Global Select RESI, but weights are adjusted for the environmental, social, and governance sustainability performance of the companies. According to the figures, the ESG focus of the companies did not necessarily improve their price return index. While both indices followed similar trends, the Global Select RESI performed slightly better in May and June 2022, whereas S&P 1200 performed better in September and October 2022.

GSCI increased 9.31 points or 1.69% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. GSCI Commodity Index - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the largest stock exchange in the world, with an equity market capitalization of just below 32 trillion U.S. dollars as of January 2025. The following three exchanges were the NASDAQ, Shanghai Stock Exchange, and the Japan Exchange Group. What is a stock exchange? A stock exchange is a marketplace where stockbrokers, traders, buyers, and sellers can trade in equities products. The largest exchanges have thousands of listed companies. These companies sell shares of their business, giving the general public the opportunity to invest in them. The oldest stock exchange worldwide is the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, founded in the late sixteenth century. Other functions of a stock exchange Since these are publicly traded companies, every firm listed on a stock exchange has had an initial public offering (IPO). The largest IPOs can raise billions of dollars in equity for the firm involved. Related to stock exchanges are derivatives exchanges, where stock options, futures contracts, and other derivatives can be traded.

Amazon.com, Inc. was the best performer in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index in the fourth quarter of 2024. Over that period, its stock price rose more than 27.5 percent. In 2020, most companies lost value in the first quarter as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but had largely recovered by the mid-year point. What is the DJIA? The DJIA is an index of 30 leading companies in the United States. Founded it 1885, it is one of the most indicators of sentiments on the financial markets. Many analysts follow indices such as the DJIA or the S&P 500 on a monthly or daily basis to have a better idea of how the stock market is doing at a given moment. The benefit of tracking markets The business cycle refers to the idea that the economy goes through a cyclic process of expansion and contraction. Stock market indices such as the DJIA can provide information on the timing of the next contraction, or recession. Investors try to use this and other data to predict the performance of sectors, or even single stocks. Of course, there is always a risk of choosing the stocks which don’t perform well.

In 2021, the Nasdaq 100 closed at 16,320.08 points, which was the second highest value on record despite the economic effects of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The index value closed at 21,012.17 points in 2024, an increase of more than 4,000 points compared to its closing value for the previous year. What does the NASDAQ tell us? The Nasdaq 100 index is comprised of 100 largest and most actively traded non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Financial firms are represented by the NASDAQ Bank Index. A stock market index is a measurement of average performance of companies forming the index. It gives a snapshot of what investors are thinking at that particular moment. Other indices The Dow Jones Industrial Average gets more attention than the NASDAQ 100, though it only represents 30 companies. It’s best and worst days mark some of the major financial events of the past century. This helps to put more meaning behind events like Black Monday, the Wall Street crash of 1929, or the 2008 Financial Crisis, as well as the speed of their recoveries in financial markets.

As of Janaury 2025, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq - the two largest stock exchange operators in the United States - held a combined market capitalization for domestic listed companies of over 62 trillion U.S. dollars. Both markets were almost evenly sized at this point in time - at approximately 32 and 30 trillion U.S. dollars, respectively. However, the Nasdaq has grown much quicker than the NYSE since January 2018, when their respective domestic market caps were 23 and 11 trillion U.S. dollars. Much of this can be attributed to the success of information technology stocks during the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as the Nasdaq is the traditional venue for companies operating in the tech sector.

The annual returns of the Nasdaq 100 Index from 1986 to 2024. fluctuated significantly throughout the period considered. The Nasdaq 100 index saw its lowest performance in 2008, with a return rate of -41.89 percent, while the largest returns were registered in 1999, at 101.95 percent. As of June 11, 2024, the rate of return of Nasdaq 100 Index stood at 14 percent. The Nasdaq 100 is a stock market index comprised of the 100 largest and most actively traded non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. How has the Nasdaq 100 evolved over years? The Nasdaq 100, which was previously heavily influenced by tech companies during the dot-com boom, has undergone significant diversification. Today, it represents a broader range of high-growth, non-financial companies across sectors like consumer services and healthcare, reflecting the evolving landscape of the global economy. The annual development of the Nasdaq 100 recently has generally been positive, except for 2022, when the NASDAQ experienced a decline due to worries about escalating inflation, interest rates, and regulatory challenges. What are the leading companies on Nasdaq 100? In August 2023, Apple was the largest company on the Nasdaq 100, with a market capitalization of 2.73 trillion euros. Also, Alphabet C, Alphabet, Amazon, and Broadcom were among the five leading companies included in the index. Market capitalization is one of the most common ways of measuring how big a company is in the financial markets. It is calculated by multiplying the total number of outstanding shares by the current market price.

As of November 14, 2021, all S&P 500 sector indices had recovered to levels above those of January 2020, prior to full economic effects of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic taking hold. However, different sectors recovered at different rates to sit at widely different levels above their pre-pandemic levels. This suggests that the effect of the coronavirus on financial markets in the United States is directly affected by how the virus has impacted various parts of the underlying economy.

Which industry performed the best during the coronavirus pandemic?

Companies operating in the information technology (IT) sector have been the clear winners from the pandemic, with the IT S&P 500 sector index sitting at almost 65 percent above early 2020 levels as of November 2021. This is perhaps not surprising given this industry includes some of the companies who benefitted the most from the pandemic such as Amazon, PayPal and Netflix. The reason for these companies’ success is clear – as shops were shuttered and social gatherings heavily restricted due to the pandemic, online services such shopping and video streaming were in high demand. The success of the IT sector is also reflected in the performance of global share markets during the coronavirus pandemic, with tech-heavy NASDAQ being the best performing major market worldwide.

Which industry performed the worst during the pandemic?

Conversely, energy companies fared the worst during the pandemic, with the S&P 500 sector index value sitting below its early 2020 value as late as July 2021. Since then it has somewhat recovered, and was around 15 percent above January 2020 levels as of October 2021. This reflects the fact that many oil companies were among the share prices suffering the largest declines over 2020. A primary driver for this was falling demand for fuel fell in line with the reduction in tourism and commuting caused by lockdowns all over the world. However, as increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates throughout 2021 led to lockdowns being lifted and global tourism reopening, demand has again risen - reflected by the recent increase in the S&P 500 energy index.

While nearly every country in Europe has a stock exchange, only five are considered major, and have a market capital of over one trillion U.S dollars. European stock exchanges make up two of the top ten global major stock markets. Europe’s biggest stock exchange is the Euronext which combines five markets based in Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, London, Oslo and Paris. Euronext The Euronext Stock Exchange saw a significant increase in total market capitalization between 2021 and 2022, before increasing again during 2023. As of March 2024, the luxury goods company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton was the largest company listed on the Euronext Stock Exchange in terms of market capitalization. Globally, the Euronext Stock Exchange is the fourth largest. London Stock Exchange The London Stock Exchange (LSE) was the second largest stock exchange in Europe and ninth globally in terms of market capitalization of domestic listed companies. As of May 2024, there were 1,775 companies trading on the LSE with the LSE's combined market capitalization amounting to approximately 3.86 trillion British pounds during the same period.