<P> The Dow Jones Industrial Average / ˌdaʊ ˈdʒoʊnz / , also called DJIA , the Industrial Average , the Dow Jones , the Dow Jones Industrial , ^ DJI , the Dow 30 or simply the Dow , is a stock market index , and one of several indices created by Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones & Company co-founder Charles Dow . The industrial average was first calculated on May 26 , 1896 . Currently owned by S&P Dow Jones Indices , which is majority owned by S&P Global , it is the most notable of the Dow Averages , of which the first ( non-industrial ) was originally published on February 16 , 1885 . The averages are named after Dow and one of his business associates , statistician Edward Jones . It is an index that shows how 30 large publicly owned companies based in the United States have traded during a standard trading session in the stock market . It is the second - oldest U.S. market index after the Dow Jones Transportation Average , which was also created by Dow . </P>
<P> The Dow Jones Industrial Average / ˌdaʊ ˈdʒoʊnz / , also called DJIA , the Industrial Average , the Dow Jones , the Dow Jones Industrial , ^ DJI , the Dow 30 or simply the Dow , is a stock market index , and one of several indices created by Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones & Company co-founder Charles Dow . The industrial average was first calculated on May 26 , 1896 . Currently owned by S&P Dow Jones Indices , which is majority owned by S&P Global , it is the most notable of the Dow Averages , of which the first ( non-industrial ) was originally published on February 16 , 1885 . The averages are named after Dow and one of his business associates , statistician Edward Jones . It is an index that shows how 30 large publicly owned companies based in the United States have traded during a standard trading session in the stock market . It is the second - oldest U.S. market index after the Dow Jones Transportation Average , which was also created by Dow . </P>
when did the dow jones industrial average start
when did the dow jones industrial average start
May 26 , 1896
May 26 , 1896