Market indicators (indices)
The averages that are available as indicators or indices indicate the general health of stock prices. If the economy is doing well then prices of stocks as a group tend to rise. If it is not doing so well prices as a group tend to fall. The averages are there to show you these tendencies. If a specific stock is going down while the market as a whole is going up, or if a stock is going up, but is rising faster than the market as a whole, that tells you something about the stock involved.
Market indexes are therefore useful for gauging the performance of an investment portfolio over time. Select the most appropriate index to serve as your benchmark.
The American Stock Exchange Composite Index (XAX) s a capitalization-weighted, price-appreciation index introduced in 1997. Since June 2001, the Amex Composite Index has outpaced both the NYSE Composite Index and the NASDAQ Composite Index, as well as the major financial indexes. At the American Stock Exchange, listed companies find a supportive environment to help them create, safeguard and increase shareholder value: a centralized quality market where their specialist, Amex senior management, and issuer services director are readily accessible and working together to enhance the attractiveness of the company’s stock to investors. The American Stock Exchange is one of the largest options exchanges in the world. Puts and calls are traded on domestic stocks, American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), broad-based, industry sector and international indexes, exchange traded funds (ETFs), and HOLDRS. In addition to conventional options, the Amex trades LEAPS and Equity and Index FLEX options.
- Click here to see a snapshot of the Equities markets.
- Click here to see the list of all Amex-listed equities and End of Day equity prices with daily highs and lows.
- Click here to see the list of all Amex-listed options and End of Day option prices with daily highs and lows.
Dow Jones Indexes develops, maintains and licenses market indexes for use as benchmarks and as the basis of investment products. Among its more than 3,000 indexes are the world’s best known stock indicator, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Dow Jones Composite Average and the leading Pan-European indexes.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average indexes the value of 30 industrial stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ stock exchange. The Dow Jones Industrial (DJIA), Transportation (DJTA) and Utilities (DJUA) Averages are maintained by editors of The Wall Street Journal. When one component is replaced for whatever reason, the entire index is reviewed. In general a stock is added to the index only if it has an excellent reputation, demonstrates sustained growth, is of interest to a large number of investors and accurately represents the sector covered by the average. The DJIA is not limited to traditionally defined industrial stocks. Instead, the index serves as a measure of the entire U.S.A. market. The Dow Jones averages are unique in that they are price weighted rather than market capitalization weighted. Their component weightings are therefore affected only by changes in the stocks’ prices, in contrast with other indexes’ weightings that are affected by both price changes and changes in the number of shares outstanding. Click here to see the list of Dow Jones Averages available.
Dow Jones Total Market Indexes is a comprehensive world index family designed to provide international investors with a complete range of portfolio management and benchmarking tools. Click here to see the list of Total Market Indexes available.
The Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Composite Index is the most comprehensive measure of the U.S. stock market. The benchmark is designed to represent the performance of all U.S. headquartered equity securities with readily available price data. The indexes are weighted by both full market capitalization and float-adjusted market capitalization. To be included in the indexes, an issue must be an equity issue (a common stock, REIT or limited partnership), a U.S. headquartered company and a security that has its primary market listing in the U.S.A. Click here to see the list of Dow Jones Wilshire Indexes available.
The Dow Jones Portfolio Indexes are designed to help investors determine if they have received a reasonable return for the amount of risk taken in their total portfolio. You can download the Dow Jones U.S. Portfolio Indexes and the Dow Jones Global Portfolio Indexes.
The Dow Jones Global 1800 Index reflects the stock performance of leading companies in the developed markets of Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and the Americas. The index contains 600 stocks from each of the three regions. Click here to see or download the list of the Dow Jones Global 1800 Index.
On June 21, 2004 International Index Company announced that the first Dow Jones iTraxx indices covering Europe are launched. The new rules-based indices are comprised of the most liquid names in the European market and are the most objective and transparent CDS indices available for that region.
The National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation system (NASDAQ) lists over-the-counter market trades and compiles the NASDAQ-100 (IXNDX) and the NASDAQ Composite (IXIC) Indices. Companies that choose to list their securities on The NASDAQ Stock Market must meet minimum initial and continued inclusion financial requirements. Click here to download the PDF file with requirements and fees.
The Russell 2000 Index tracks the average of the commodities futures markets. Intra-day futures & options quotes, plus historical, weekly and monthly charts are available to provide a complete view of market activity in Russell 2000 Index (CME) futures.
Standard & Poor’s provides several indices, such as S&P Global Indices, S&P Global 1200, S&P 500, S&P Equal Weight Index, S&P US Indices, S&P Europe 350, S&P Asia 50, S&P Chinese Indices, S&P Australian Indices and many more.