Investors can look at various measures to understand the performance of stock while also indicating the overall economy’s performance. If you’re a trader looking to invest in stocks, you’ll want to know how the market performs to make more profitable decisions.
The most common measures to gauge the stock market condition are market indexes. New traders need to learn about these through online stock market investment courses to understand how each index works.
This will help you stay aware of any fluctuating prices to trade profitably. The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average are the most popular indexes that you need to know of. Let’s discuss these in further detail to help you understand better.
The S&P 500 Index
The S&P 500 Index or the Standards and Poor index is a market-cap weighted index. This is calculated for showing the changes in total stock market performance, and the value of the companies is more than changes to prices per share.
The S&P 500 Index includes about 500 of the world’s most widely owned companies in the US. These include Xerox Corporation, McDonalds, Google, Abbott Laboratories, and Procter & Gamble.
Dow Jones Industrial Average
The DJIA is a price-weighted index calculated by adding the prices per share of each company and adjusting the divisor to show changes in shares. This helps figure out the price continuity of a company’s shares over time.
The DJIA is one of the oldest market indexes in the US and has about 30 companies in it. These companies are also commonly referred to as blue chips, which have had consistent growth and seem like attractive investors.
The DJIA is somewhat similar to DJUA and DJTA, which were also developed by Charles Dow, a co-founder of the Wall Street Journal. These indexes were used to provide market insight to the readers. One of the companies that have been in the DJIA since 1896 is General Electric. This index still presents a clear image of the business climate and trend recognition for the US stock market.
If you’re new to stock trading, you’ll need to understand what these major indexes show and how you can capitalize on them. This will significantly reduce risks and help you make more informed trade decisions. Taking stock trading courses for beginners is your best option, as these will help you identify opportunities and gain more from stock trades.
NASDAQ Index
The NASDAQ Index measures the value changes in company shares listed under the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. This evaluates the total market value change of the listed companies on the exchange, especially the changes that affect the technology industry.
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