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.

The main stock market index in the United States (US500) decreased 176 points or 2.99% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from United States. United States Stock Market Index - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for NASDAQ Composite Index (NASDAQCOM) from 1971-02-05 to 2025-03-24 about NASDAQ, composite, stock market, indexes, and USA.

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 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.

Graph and download economic data for NASDAQ 100 Index (NASDAQ100) from 1986-01-02 to 2025-03-26 about NASDAQ, stock market, indexes, and USA.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) from 2015-03-27 to 2025-03-26 about stock market, average, industry, and USA.

Estonia Share Trading: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Market Value data was reported at 2.832 EUR bn in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.915 EUR bn for Sep 2018. Estonia Share Trading: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Market Value data is updated monthly, averaging 1.966 EUR bn from Jun 2004 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 173 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.000 EUR bn in Jun 2005 and a record low of 1.241 EUR bn in Dec 2011. Estonia Share Trading: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Market Value data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nasdaq Tallinn. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Estonia – Table EE.Z003: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Trading Statistics.

Throughout the 1920s, prices on the U.S. stock exchange rose exponentially, however, by the end of the decade, uncontrolled growth and a stock market propped up by speculation and borrowed money proved unsustainable, resulting in the Wall Street Crash of October 1929. This set a chain of events in motion that led to economic collapse - banks demanded repayment of debts, the property market crashed, and people stopped spending as unemployment rose. Within a year the country was in the midst of an economic depression, and the economy continued on a downward trend until late-1932.

It was during this time where Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) was elected president, and he assumed office in March 1933 - through a series of economic reforms and New Deal policies, the economy began to recover. Stock prices fluctuated at more sustainable levels over the next decades, and developments were in line with overall economic development, rather than the uncontrolled growth seen in the 1920s. Overall, it took over 25 years for the Dow Jones value to reach its pre-Crash peak.

Denmark Share Trading: OMX Copenhagen Stock Exchange (CSE): Turnover data was reported at 138,759.920 DKK mn in Jan 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 132,718.892 DKK mn for Dec 2024. Denmark Share Trading: OMX Copenhagen Stock Exchange (CSE): Turnover data is updated monthly, averaging 108,438.425 DKK mn from Oct 2006 (Median) to Jan 2025, with 220 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 219,573.308 DKK mn in Mar 2020 and a record low of 34,764.600 DKK mn in Dec 2012. Denmark Share Trading: OMX Copenhagen Stock Exchange (CSE): Turnover data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nasdaq Copenhagen. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.Z003: Nasdaq Copenhagen: Share Trading.

The main stock market index in Japan (JP225) decreased 2147 points or 5.38% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from Japan. Japan Stock Market Index (JP225) - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

United States - NASDAQ 100 was 19736.66000 Index in March of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - NASDAQ 100 reached a record high of 22175.60000 in February of 2025 and a record low of 128.43000 in October of 1987. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - NASDAQ 100 - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

Market Capitalization: OMX Vilnius Stock Exchange: Baltic Equity List data was reported at 5,265,469,220.180 EUR in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,180,491,314.807 EUR for Jan 2025. Market Capitalization: OMX Vilnius Stock Exchange: Baltic Equity List data is updated monthly, averaging 3,549,426,294.925 EUR from Jan 2000 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 302 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9,715,874,261.540 EUR in Oct 2007 and a record low of 789,327,589.570 EUR in Apr 2001. Market Capitalization: OMX Vilnius Stock Exchange: Baltic Equity List data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nasdaq Vilnius. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Lithuania – Table LT.Z002: Nasdaq Vilnius: Market Capitalization.

Estonia Share Trading: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Value data was reported at 0.035 EUR bn in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.021 EUR bn for May 2018. Estonia Share Trading: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Value data is updated monthly, averaging 0.016 EUR bn from Jun 2004 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 169 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.010 EUR bn in Mar 2005 and a record low of 0.007 EUR bn in Jul 2012. Estonia Share Trading: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Value data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nasdaq Tallinn. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Estonia – Table EE.Z003: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Trading Statistics.

Estonia Share Trading: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Value: per Business Day data was reported at 1.670 EUR mn in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.000 EUR mn for May 2018. Estonia Share Trading: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Value: per Business Day data is updated monthly, averaging 0.800 EUR mn from Jun 2004 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 169 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 207.000 EUR mn in Nov 2004 and a record low of 0.310 EUR mn in Jul 2012. Estonia Share Trading: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Value: per Business Day data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Nasdaq Tallinn. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Estonia – Table EE.Z003: Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange: Trading Statistics.

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.

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.

Prices for United States Stock Market Index (US30) including live quotes, historical charts and news. United States Stock Market Index (US30) was last updated by Trading Economics this March 26 of 2025.

In the first quarter of 2020, global stock indices posted substantial losses that were triggered by the outbreak of COVID-19. The period from March 6 to 18 was particularly dramatic, with several stock indices losing more than 20 percent of their value.

Worldwide panic hits markets From the United States to the United Kingdom, stock market indices suffered steep falls as the coronavirus pandemic created economic uncertainty. The Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 are two indices that track company performance in the United States, and both lost value as lockdowns were introduced in the country. European markets also recorded significant slumps, which triggered panic selling among investors. The FTSE 100 – the leading share index of companies in the UK – plunged by as much as 21 percent in the opening weeks of March 2020.

Is it time to invest in tech stocks? The S&P 500 is regarded as the best representation of the U.S. economy because it includes more companies from the leading industries. However, helped in no small part by its focus on tech companies, the Nasdaq 100 has risen in popularity and seen remarkable growth in recent years. Global demand for digital technologies has increased further due to the coronavirus, with remote working and online shopping becoming part of the new normal. As a result, more investors are likely to switch to the tech stocks listed on the Nasdaq 100.