The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), commonly known as the Dow 30 or simply the Dow, is a widely recognized stock market index that tracks the performance of 30 large, publicly traded U.S. companies. As one of the oldest and most followed equity indices, the Dow is often used as a barometer of the overall health of the U.S. stock market and a benchmark for investment performance.

Created by Charles Dow in 1896, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is the second-oldest U.S. stock market index, following the Dow Jones Transportation Average. The index is price-weighted, meaning that the stocks with higher share prices have a greater influence on the index's value. This is different from market-capitalization weighting, which is used by the NASDAQ-100 and the S&P 500. The Dow 30 is maintained and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices, a joint venture between S&P Global, the CME Group, and News Corp.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is composed of 30 large, well-established U.S. companies from various industries, such as technology, finance, consumer goods, and health care. Some of the well-known companies in the index include Apple, Microsoft, Visa, Johnson & Johnson, and The Home Depot. However, the index does not provide as broad a representation of the U.S. economy as the S&P 500, due to its smaller number of constituents and price-weighted methodology.

The Dow's significance lies in its ability to offer insights into the performance of leading U.S. companies and to serve as a widely recognized benchmark for the U.S. stock market. It is often compared to other major indices, such as the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ-100. The Dow stands out because of its long history, its price-weighted methodology, and its focus on a relatively small group of highly influential companies.

In summary, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is an essential tool for investors and analysts who wish to track the performance of 30 large, publicly traded U.S. companies. It is a globally recognized benchmark and a key indicator of the health of the U.S. stock market.

DOW-30 Latest Price

Prices for Constituents of DOW-30

Name	Sector	Industry
Intel Corporation (INTC)	Technology	Semiconductors
Honeywell International Inc (HON)	Industrials	Conglomerates
McDonald’s Corporation (MCD)	Consumer Cyclical	Restaurants
The Coca-Cola Company (KO)	Consumer Defensive	Beverages-Non-Alcoholic
Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS)	Financial Services	Capital Markets
Nike Inc (NKE)	Consumer Cyclical	Footwear & Accessories
Procter & Gamble Company (PG)	Consumer Defensive	Household & Personal Products
JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM)	Financial Services	Banks-Diversified
Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO)	Technology	Communication Equipment
Chevron Corp (CVX)	Energy	Oil & Gas Integrated
Apple Inc (AAPL)	Technology	Consumer Electronics
The Boeing Company (BA)	Industrials	Aerospace & Defense
The Travelers Companies Inc (TRV)	Financial Services	Insurance-Property & Casualty
Salesforce.com Inc (CRM)	Technology	Software-Application
Walmart Inc (WMT)	Consumer Defensive	Discount Stores
3M Company (MMM)	Industrials	Conglomerates
Caterpillar Inc (CAT)	Industrials	Machinery, Tools, Heavy Vehicles, Trains & Ships
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)	Healthcare	Drug Manufacturers-General
American Express Company (AXP)	Financial Services	Credit Services
Merck & Company Inc (MRK)	Healthcare	Drug Manufacturers-General
International Business Machines (IBM)	Technology	Information Technology Services
Amgen Inc (AMGN)	Healthcare	Drug Manufacturers-General
Walt Disney Company (DIS)	Communication Services	Entertainment
Visa Inc. Class A (V)	Financial Services	Credit Services
Verizon Communications Inc (VZ)	Communication Services	Telecom Services
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH)	Healthcare	Healthcare Plans
Dow Inc (DOW)	Basic Materials	Chemicals
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA)	Healthcare	Pharmaceutical Retailers
Home Depot Inc (HD)	Consumer Cyclical	Home Improvement Retail
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)	Technology	Software-Infrastructure