US markets · Figures on this page update automatically.
The levels above cover the three US benchmarks quoted most often: the S&P 500, the Nasdaq Composite and the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The S&P 500 tracks around five hundred large US companies weighted by market value, making it the broadest read on big-company America. The Nasdaq Composite includes everything listed on the Nasdaq exchange and leans heavily toward technology, while the Dow follows just thirty blue-chip names and weights them by share price — the narrowest and the most idiosyncratic of the three.
What is the difference between the S&P 500 and the Dow?
The S&P 500 holds around five hundred companies weighted by market value; the Dow holds thirty and weights them by share price. Because of that, a single high-priced stock can push the Dow around, while the S&P better reflects the overall market.
Is the Nasdaq Composite the same as the Nasdaq 100?
No. The Composite includes every common stock listed on the Nasdaq exchange, which runs into the thousands, while the Nasdaq 100 holds only the largest non-financial names. They move similarly but are not interchangeable.
Can you invest in an index directly?
An index is a calculation, not a security, so it cannot be bought as such. Exposure comes through funds and derivatives designed to track it, which carry their own costs and tracking differences.